A Tragic Oversight: Lawsuit Details Michigan Prison's Alleged Negligence in Inmate's Catastrophic Fall

A federal lawsuit has cast a grim spotlight on the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), alleging that staff at Macomb Correctional Facility deliberately ignored a gravely ill inmate's escalating mental health crisis, ultimately leading to a catastrophic fall that left him with severe brain injuries.

The lawsuit, filed by the family of Daniel S.

Thompson, paints a harrowing picture of a system that allegedly failed to protect one of its most vulnerable individuals. Thompson, a 37-year-old inmate with a documented history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, reportedly fell from an upper-level bunk in the early hours of December 15, 2021, sustaining injuries that have forever altered his life.

According to the complaint filed in the U.S.

District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Thompson's deterioration was not sudden. His family had voiced concerns about his mental state, and within the prison walls, his behavior became increasingly erratic and alarming. He was described as rambling, experiencing paranoid delusions, refusing food and water, and engaging in self-harm attempts.

These were not subtle cries for help; they were, the lawsuit contends, blatant signs of a man in dire need of intervention.

Despite these clear warnings, the lawsuit alleges a shocking pattern of deliberate indifference and gross negligence by multiple MDOC staff members. Instead of receiving appropriate medical and mental health care, Thompson was allegedly met with neglect and even mockery.

One particularly disturbing claim states that Sgt. Justin Smith, a named defendant, verbally mocked Thompson's distress. Other officers, including Patrick McFall and Lt. James Skornicka, are accused of failing to act on clear indicators of his declining condition.

Crucially, the complaint highlights a moment when a prison nurse noted Thompson's worsening state and ordered him to be placed on a lower bunk for his safety.

Yet, this crucial directive was allegedly disregarded. Instead of being moved to a safer environment or transferred to a more suitable mental health unit, Thompson was returned to general population, where he remained vulnerable to self-harm or accidental injury due to his psychosis.

The tragic fall from his upper bunk was the devastating consequence.

Even after the incident, the lawsuit claims, the response was agonizingly slow. Nearly two hours elapsed before Thompson was transported to a hospital, a delay that could have compounded his already severe brain injuries. His family is now seeking unspecified damages, asserting that the MDOC and its employees violated Thompson’s Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, which protect against cruel and unusual punishment and ensure due process.

The lawsuit names several individuals, including Warden Randall Haas, Sgt.

Justin Smith, Officer Patrick McFall, Lt. James Skornicka, and Sgt. Christopher Thompson, accusing them of direct involvement or supervisory negligence. The Michigan Department of Corrections has declined to comment on the pending litigation, a standard practice in such cases.

This heartbreaking account serves as a stark reminder of the immense responsibility correctional facilities bear in safeguarding the well-being of inmates, particularly those grappling with mental illness.

Thompson’s family seeks not only justice for Daniel but also to hold accountable a system that, they argue, failed him at every turn, transforming a treatable crisis into an irreversible tragedy.