Macomb County Jail.png

Google Street View screen shot of the Macomb County Jail in Mount Clemens

MOUNT CLEMENS -- A lawsuit filed against Macomb County, the sheriff and medical staff at the county jail claims negligence directly contributed to the death of an inmate in July 2013.

This is the second wrongful death lawsuit filed against Macomb County since 2015 related to jail inmates suffering from opiate or heroin withdrawal while in custody and later dying.

The previous lawsuit was filed in March 2015 by the family of David Stojcevski, a 32-year-old Roseville man who died of drug withdrawal June 27, 2014 while serving a 30-day sentence for a careless driving ticket.

The most recent lawsuit involves Jennifer L. Meyers, who suffered from bipolar disorder, hepatitis C and a $50-per-day intravenous heroin addiction.

She was sentenced to 30 days in the Macomb County Jail on June 26, 2013, because she was unable to pay a $500 fine.

She died in her cell 12 days later of acute sepsis, which is an infection that usually starts in an open wound.

The lawsuit, filed last week by Meyers' estate, claims jail staff were well-aware of Meyers' deteriorating condition, but failed to treat her.

Other inmates and Meyers herself made "daily and numerous unsuccessful" attempts to get Meyers medical care.

"During Ms. Meyers' final twelve days of life, her fellow inmates made those requests because Ms. Meyers was suffering obvious signs of serious sickness and infection, which included, among other things, the terrible smell emanating from Ms. Meyers, as if she was rotting from within ... constant severe body pains and physical incapacity that kept her confined to her cell's bed, long-term full body sweats, as if she had a terrible case of flu, and a lack of appetite or desire to drink water," the lawsuit claims.

" ... The foul stench spread throughout the unit and anyone in that unit, or visiting the unit ... was undoubtedly aware of the smell and the source of the smell was Ms. Meyers."

On the final day she was alive, the lawsuit says, Meyers was "sweating so profusely as to appear having taken a shower in her clothes."

Cellmates found Meyers dead in the cell on July 7, 2013.

Filed in federal court with a demand for more than $25,000, the lawsuit names Macomb County; Sheriff Anthony Wickersham; Correct Care Solutions, a private medical company that contracts with the jail; and several others involved with Meyers' care and supervision in jail.

The Macomb County Sheriff's Office deferred comment to Macomb County Corporation Counsel. MLive is awaiting response.

Jessica Meyers lawsuit: