MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — In April, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged four Muskegon County jail guards and a former jail nurse with involuntary manslaughter following the 2019 in-custody death of Paul Bulthouse at the county's jail.
Late Thursday, following more than 30-hours of testimony, Muskegon County District Judge Geoffrey Nolan ruled the charges against the four guards can proceed to Muskegon County Circuit Court for trial.
Deputy Sgt. David Vanderlaan, Deputy Jeffrey Patterson, Deputy Crystal Greve and Deputy Jamal Lane face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The Michigan Attorney General also charged former Wellpath Registered Nurse Aubrey Schotts. Nolan ruled the evidence against her was insufficient and dismissed the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
Bulthouse, 39, was arrested by the Norton Shores Police Department on March 22, 2019, and brought to the Muskegon County Jail on a probation detainer.
The AG's case relied on more than nine-hours of video from inside the jail, and camera angles showing Bulthouse naked while experiencing what Nessel says were 22 seizures over 5 hours.
Bulthouse was classified as suicidal, which required he be monitored by officers every 15 minutes. His cell was always in close proximity to the county jail booking center and he was always visible on video monitors. Bulthouse died in custody at 5:30 a.m. on April 4, 13 days after being booked in the jail.
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