LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Attorney General’s Office will review an investigation into the death of an inmate at the Muskegon County Jail.
Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson has asked Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate the death of Paul Bulthouse, who died in April after suffering an epileptic seizure.
The Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office ruled he died of natural causes in May but reopened the investigation a few weeks later.
Hilson disqualified himself and his office from the investigation because of the working relationship he has with the sheriff’s office.
“In this situation, I appreciate an independent agency looking at the investigative reports to determine whether or not criminal charges should be filed,” Hilson said in a release. “I appreciate the Attorney General’s Office taking a serious look at this unfortunate situation.”
Nessel has given the case to her office’s criminal division instead of having a nearby county conduct the investigation.
“As someone who has handled in-custody deaths like the one in this case, I am confident that the Department of Attorney General’s independent stance protects the integrity of this investigation and bolsters our ability to find answers,” Nessel said in a release.
