William Marshall, 35

Westland, Michigan
December 10, 2017

Cause of death: Shooting

Follow This Case

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Last updated: over 5 years ago

Overview

Witnesses say William Marshall died in jail begging for help. His family is now asking the question why didn't he get it? He had been pulled over for a suspended license and was found with marijuana and cocaine on Dec. 10 and was taken into custody.

"I'm letting you know why they're not going to release the video until they're forced to - because it's going to be one sick sight," said attorney Karri Mitchell.Mitchell surrounded by the father, brother, fiancé and children of Marshall, 35, the man who died after being held in the Westland jail.

"He died because he was refused medical attention," said Mitchell.

Mitchell says William Marshall had ingested cocaine and he was sick. EMS was called and paramedics wanted to transport him.

"Your own EMS technician said I need to take this person to the hospital," Mitchell said.

But police decided to monitor William Marshall instead. Attorney Mitchell says maybe they thought he was faking it but Marshall continued to plead for help.

"This is kind of like egregious to the nth power," the attorney said. "This young man was begging - holding on to the cell - with his hands begging to be taken to the hospital and he was kicked by the officers - his hands were kicked loose from the cell."

It was a scene witnessed by other inmates who were in the cell with Marshall.

"They repeatedly kicked his hands came off the door," said his cellmate. "They kicked the door shut."

"The eyewitness also indicated that as Mr. Marshall was laying on the ground maybe dead already, the officer came with two tickets and said here's your tickets, get up. He was dead and he was trying to hand him two tickets."

Legal Action

On Octobr 4, 2018, a sergeant with the Westland Police Department and two paramedics were arraigned on charges stemming from the 2017 cocaine overdose death of a Marshall.