The Lansing Police Department is facing a civil lawsuit in the alleged wrongful death of a man in its custody earlier this year.
Court documents filed Monday in U-S District Court claim 54-year-old Anthony Hulon died of positional asphyxia on April 11 at the Lansing City Jail.
The suit claims Hulon was in a state of “excited delirium” while under the influence of methamphetamine.
Four officers allegedly cuffed Hulon’s hands behind his back while compressing his neck, chest and torso.
Hulon was pronounced dead about an hour later.Plaintiff’s attorney Jennifer Damico says the case is similar to a 1996 incident that also led to the death of a man.
“They had an incident in this exact same cell that happened years and years ago, and they were trained not to do this,” Damico says. “Their policies and procedures are on their website, and they’re still doing it. I mean, they learned nothing.”
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages against six defendants.
The city of Lansing has not yet been formally served, and is withholding comment.