The family of a man who died after hanging himself in a Michigan jail cell has filed a federal lawsuit, claiming that the deputy who was supposed to be monitoring him was instead watching Monday Night Football with inmates.
The lawsuit also claims the deputy left behind his keys at a desk downstairs and that it took 30 minutes for the inmate to be taken to the hospital.
The wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of Raymond Paul Holmes in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids against Mecosta County, the Sheriff's Department, and Deputy Ryan Dean, who was allegedly supposed to watch over the inmate.
Sheriff Todd Purcell told NBC Chicago he has not been served with the lawsuit and would not give comment on pending litigation. Requests for comment to Mecosta County were not immediately returned.
Holmes was arrested Aug. 29, 2015, for operating and maintaining a drug lab, first-degree retail fraud and possession of marijuana, second offense, according The Grand Rapids Press. Amanda King, the mother of the Holmes’ children, informed deputies days after the arrest that the 32-year-old was mentally unstable and had suicidal ideations, attorneys Harold Emelander and Erin Emelander wrote in the lawsuit. She was told that "they would keep an eye out."
A document regarding Holmes entitled “Pass on Log” dated Aug. 31 obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request stated: “Very upset after arraignment. Also informed to call kids mother so she can inform him his best friend was killed in an accident. Watch for issues.”
After having a “minor incident” with another inmate on Sept. 11, Holmes was put on lockdown for four days, confining him to an isolated cell, according to the lawsuit. He began serving the four days on Sept. 12.
On Sept. 14, he was in court a day early because his attorney had a schedule conflict, according to the lawsuit. His family was unaware of the change and did not show up in court and Holmes was upset, the suit claims. That evening, around 10:24 p.m. the suit claims inmates saw Holmes and told Dean he had hanged himself.
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The lawsuit states that Deputy Ryan Dean was watching the television which was reportedly showing Monday Night Football instead of conducting a “visual inspection” of Holmes’ holding cell. Dean had to go downstairs to get his keys to open the cell, according to the suit.
Holmes was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, where he died two days later, according to The Grand Rapids Press.
