Man says police wouldn't help man having medical emergency in jail cell

WESTLAND, Mich. (WJBK) - A man who was under arrest in Westland died after having some kind of medical emergency while in police custody - and police at the jail ignored him, his former inmate claims.

William Marshall, 35, was taken to the Westland Police Department after being arrested for DUI on Sunday. Later in the night, he was dead and his cellmate says he was ignored when he pleaded for help.

"When he grabbed the door and begged for them to take him to the hospital - that's why I lose sleep. That's why I'm not eating dinner. That's why I'm scared to leave my house," the anonymous cellmate said.

The Wayne man was inside the jail cell at the Westland Police Department Sunday when Marshall came in. Soon after, he said that Marshall looked like he was having a seizure so he called for help.

"He was twitching real bad, no motor skills and couldn't stand," he said. 

He and others got the attention of the officers on duty and said EMS was called. He says the paramedics wanted to take him to Garden City Hospital but a Westland Police sergeant stopped them. 

"The sergeant says you're not taking him anywhere he can go back in his cell," he said.

Then came the moment that's causing him to lose sleep. He said Williams clung to the cell door and was begging to be taken to the hospital.

"They repeatedly kicked his hands until they came off."

He said Marshall eventually stopped moving and then wasn't responsive. That's when he says police came in to help but it was too late. It was more than an hour after he first alerted police.

Marshall's brother, Desmond, is understandably crushed. He said he and his family met on Monday to process what happened but say they aren't getting much information from police. 

"It's heartbreaking that's my other half my soul I don't have anything else," Desmond said. "They were telling me everything is still under investigation."

Westland police released a statement confirming they're investigating a death at the jail over the weekend and said the prisoner being housed at the Westland Police Department suffered a medical emergency and was subsequently transported to a local hospital but did not survive this medical injury. 

"My brother was the main part of this family I miss my brother," Desmond said.

HIs family says Marshall didn't have a medical condition or history of seizures. They've hired an attorney and say they'll keep pressing police for the truth.