ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — Even though it has been 20 days since 22-year-old Joseph Nagle was shot and killed by an Allegan County Deputy, his family is still looking for answers.
On June 16, Nagle was pulled over on a rural road, because of what the Sheriff’s Office said was a suspected DUI. According to the Sheriff’s Office, there was an altercation between Nagle and the deputy. However, his family says that an altercation would be completely out of his character.
Last week, Nagle’s loved ones gathered for a vigil in his memory. They also wondered why he deserved to die.
“It’s going to be very difficult to move forward,” said Professor Lewis Langham. Langham is a law professor at Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School, as well as a retired Michigan State Police Trooper. According to Langham, the answers to Nagle’s death that the family is searching for may never come.
There is no video of what happened, leaving the physical evidence all that investigators with Michigan State Police have to go on. The limited information is partially why the investigation into Nagel’s death is taking so long.
“It’s going to be a challenge to justify the shooting,” said Professor Langham. “But we don’t know what the officer said. They may not have said anything. He has a constitutional right not to say anything. Like any other person that’s involved in a shooting.”
Nagle’s family says they want the investigation to move faster. This includes having possession of his body so that he can have a proper funeral and burial.
Nagle’s remains were released by the Western Michigan University Medical Examiner’s office on June 17, and were not held by law enforcement. Michigan State Police is asking the public to remember to be patient, as these types of investigations take time.
