By Jim Bloch
The Michigan State Police have finished their investigation into the killing of Josh Conant, 26, outside the Roche Bar in Port Huron Nov. 4.
And now it appears that the Michigan Liquor Control Commission is also investigating the circumstances around Conant’s death.
Council member Anita Ashford asked about the MSP investigation at the regular meeting of the city council held Feb. 12.
Residents and relatives of Conant have regularly pressed the council for answers at every council meeting since the killing.
“We’d like more answers about Josh,” said Curtis Karl, of Port Huron Township, as heard on the recording of the proceedings posted on the city’s website. “You guys just sit there every week. There’s nothing on the agenda about Josh.”
Port Huron police arrived on the scene shortly after 2 a.m. Nov. 4. An officer handcuffed Conant, who was already being held down on the sidewalk by bar bouncers. They “immediately recognized that the subject was unresponsive,” the PHPD said in a statement after the incident. “The officers and bar staff immediately began performing life saving measures while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive. Once EMS arrived, they took over life saving measures and transported the individual to McLaren Hospital. Shortly after arriving at McLaren Hospital the subject was pronounced deceased.”
Conant’s mom also spoke at the council meeting.
“My name is Sandy Schultz. I’m Josh Conant’s mother and I owe it to my son to publicly say I’m sitting in the audience, waiting for answers, too,” said Schultz. “I just wanted to come up here and say publicly that I’m in the audience.”
The audience applauded.
The Port Huron Police Department handed the case off to the MSP shortly after the killing, largely because its officers responded to the scene. The St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office passed prosecutorial duties, if necessary, to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel because of its ties to the Conant family.
Shoudy’s response
At the end of the council meeting, City Attorney Todd Shoudy talked about the state police investigation.
“I do not know when the state police will make (its report) available,” said Shoudy. “They have the right to withhold that if they think that somehow it may interfere with a law enforcement proceeding or a court proceeding. They have the right to keep that and not release it to us. If they give it to us, we obviously have the ability at that point in time to do something with it. My understanding is that we have not seen it yet. It has not been made available to us. We recused ourselves from the whole investigation and took a step back and let the state police do that.”
Ashford said that she regretted not being able to give updates about the investigation to residents and family members of Conant’s.
“Just to make it clear, I have personally recused myself from the process because of my past relationship with the family,” Shoudy said.
Shoudy used to coach the hockey team on which Conant skated.
At the Jan. 8 council meeting, Schultz, Conant’s mom, said Shoudy was Josh’s favorite coach.
“I will speak for all of us, because I know — our hearts break for you,” said Mayor Pro Tem Sherry Archibald. “We’re not sitting up here not giving answers because we don’t want to give you answers. We don’t have any… If I had answers, I promise I’d give them.”
“I don’t want her or her family to think that they haven’t been heard,” said Ashford. “We do hear you.”
Archibald said the MSP had turned over its findings to state attorney general’s office.
MLCC
City Manager James Freed mentioned the MLCC investigation as a footnote to a discussion of the MSP findings.
“I have been advised that a liquor control investigation was underway,” said Freed. “I don’t know whether it’s complete or where it’s at. It’s independent of us.”
Jeannie Vogel, the public information officer for the MLCC, was unable to confirm the status of the investigation.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
