Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey is releasing new information about the suicide of an inmate at the county jail Saturday. A report issued this week found 24 year old Martell Hadley died as the result of asphyxiation, and Benton Harbor city officials are calling for more information on the circumstances. Bailey says, so far, the sheriff’s department has learned Hadley called his girlfriend multiple times the day of his death.
“Maybe that caused him some issues, we don’t know,” Bailey told WSJM News. “He didn’t say anything to anybody, he didn’t say anything to the inmates that were in the dorm with him.”
Bailey says Hadley also left behind a letter, but didn’t want to divulge its contents. He adds the jail has extensive protocols in place to prevent inmate suicides.
On Wednesday, Benton Harbor City Commissioners and Mayor Marcus Muhammad held a press conference to call for answers. Muhammad says the entire community is concerned. Sheriff Bailey tells us the investigation will be thorough, adding it will be referred on to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office for review when complete, adding he has no problem with an outside agency doing an investigation, if deemed necessary. Bailey invites any elected officials in the county to come talk to him and tour the jail if they have any questions. He says he “will always have an open door policy.”
