By Jim Bloch
Sandy Schultz, the mother of Josh Conant who died outside the Roche Bar on Nov. 4, is calling for the city to adopt “Josh’s Law,” which would regulate the training and actions of bouncers in licensed establishments that serve liquor.
Conant, 26, had already passed away when Port Huron Police Officer Chelsea Koehn handcuffed him, according to Conant’s uncle Mark Sanderson who has discussed the circumstances of his nephew’s death in front of the city council a number of times.
The Port Huron Police Department, in a statement released after Conant’s death, said: “Once officers arrived on the scene, they helped secure the individual being held down by the bar staff and immediately recognized that the subject was unresponsive.”
Was the bar staff responsible for Conant’s death? The Michigan State Police have apparently completed, but not released the results of their investigation. The Michigan Attorney General’s office has not released the findings of its investigation. The Michigan Liquor Control Commission is also looking into the incident.
“He died from homicide by the hands of the Roche Bar, at the hands of the Port Huron Police Department, at the hands of Carl Gibbs, one of the co-owners,” Sanderson said on March 11.
Now the family is asking for legislative action to prevent a similar situation in the future.
“I have been working with local senators and representatives regarding a ‘Joshua Law’,” said Schultz, addressing the city council at its regular meeting April 22, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on the city’s website. “I feel it has to start at the city of Port Huron’s level. What have you guys done, since this happened to our family, regarding bouncers and security and what they need to be trained in to be a bouncer? … What are you doing for the bouncers at the local taverns or even in your social district?”
Port Huron, like many cities in the state, took advantage of a change in state liquor laws during the pandemic to allow people to purchase alcoholic drinks at bars and carry them outside along public sidewalks and streets.
Schultz said there have been a couple of incidents with bouncers since her son’s death. She said bars should be required to conduct background checks, fingerprint and register bouncers, just as taxi cab companies have to do with their drivers.
Schultz is hoping for a law similar to one adopted in Tennessee in 2022 known as the Dallas Law. It is named for Dallas Barrett who died as the result of a fight with security staff in a Nashville bar in 2021. The law mandates that bouncers be trained in de-escalation techniques, restraining people safely, first aid and CPR. The bouncers must update their training every two years.
“We can make a ‘Joshua Law’ at the city of Port Huron level and I feel that needs to be addressed as quick as today,” said Schultz.
The audience applauded.
Family members of Conant and other residents have inquired about the status of the various investigations into Josh’s death at every council meeting since Nov. 4.
The purpose of the public comment portion of the agenda is to allow citizens to address council. Typically, the council does not respond to public comments.
Moments before Karl and Schultz spoke, Mayor Pauline Repp asked City Manager James Freed to look into fixing a hole in the boardwalk along the St. Clair River north of the Blue Water Bridge, following the request of a resident.
No one responded to Schultz’s request.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
