Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Reaches Settlement in William Marshall Jail Death Case

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Reaches Settlement in William Marshall Jail Death Case

Westland, MI - On May 7, the City Council approved a settlement with the Estate of William Marshall, subject to Court approval. Mr. Marshall died of accidental cocaine toxicity while in the custody of the Westland Police and Fire Department on December 10, 2017. Mayor William R. Wild expressed his sympathies to the family of William Marshall. He said, "We would hope, pray and expect that no one in the custody of the Westland Police Department would ever lose their life. I know the police officers, paramedics and firefighters throughout both departments, from the lowest ranks to the Chiefs, feel as terrible about this situation as do I."

Mayor Wild made a promise to the family that he would do everything in his power to ensure an incident like this never occurs again. As such, he has directed the Chiefs to conduct a review to strengthen and clarify departmental policies should this type of situation ever present itself in the future. He has further instructed the Chiefs to take the time for additional training, as necessary.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate this matter. The City will cooperate with the Prosecutor and not impede that investigation in any way so that this matter can be brought to conclusion.

Police Chief Jeff Jedrusik also expressed his sympathies to the family of William Marshall. According to Chief Jedrusik, "It is not uncommon for defendants in narcotic cases to swallow drugs. What was uncommon in this case was the unknown large quantity of drugs that were swallowed. The toxicology report confirmed that Mr. Marshall swallowed an extremely large amount of cocaine which became fatal. I do not know if medical staff would have been able to save him, but I do know that we should have gotten him to a hospital sooner."

Chief Jedrusik said he is looking at whether any Department rules were broken or need to be strengthened. The Department will continue to review its rules and regulations concerning prisoner detention, training of employees, whether individual employees will receive discipline and the nature of the discipline.

Fire Chief Michael Stradner expressed his sympathies to the family of William Marshall.

The resolution of the civil liability arising from the death of William Marshall is an important step for the family and for the Fire Department. Chief Stradner said, "City paramedics grieve the loss of every patient they attend to and transport." Shortly after the event, one paramedic voluntarily left the employment of the City. As a result of Chief Stradner's review of available facts, and in compliance with the union agreements, the Department has moved forward with the termination of the remaining paramedic.

The Estate will be before the probate court seeking approval of the resolution later this week.

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.