By Jim Bloch
After a six month investigation, the Michigan Attorney General’s office has decided not to press charges in the death of Josh Conant.
“The Department of Attorney General has concluded its review of the death of Joshua Conant,” said Danny Wimmer, the AG’s press secretary, in a Sept. 21 email. “Based upon a thorough and comprehensive review of all the evidence, our department will not be filing criminal charges in this matter.”
“I have no comment,” said Conant’s mother, Sandy Schultz, Sept. 23.
Conant, 26, died outside the Roche Bar in Port Huron in the early morning hours of Nov. 4 after being restrained on the sidewalk by bouncers. Conant was apparently already dead when he was handcuffed by Port Huron Police Officer Chelsea Koehn.
The 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.”
“Material reviewed in our months long investigation included police reports, body-worn camera footage, video footage from security cameras in the vicinity of the scene, cell phone video footage, photographs of the scene, the medical file of Mr. Conant, videos and transcripts of interviews with more than 50 witnesses, an interview with the medical examiner, and more,” said Wimmer.
In December, PHPD cleared itself of wrongdoing in the incident.
“The Administrative Review team found that our officers training and actions met the expectations of the department,” said then-assistant chief Brian Kerrigan in a press release; Kerrigan now leads the department. “Furthermore, it was found that they used their training effectively. Our officers acted professionally throughout this stressful incident. We take all critical incidents seriously and strive to maintain the highest standards of professionalism.”
After spending her first Mother’s Day without her son, Schultz, addressed the city council. “My son was – we’re going to say the word – killed in the city of Port Huron on a dirty sidewalk, face down and handcuffed,” said Schultz. “What are you guys doing as a council? …What are you doing for justice in the city of Port Huron?”
City Attorney Gary Fletcher had already urged the council not to take any action against the Roche Bar’s liquor license. Schulz, Conant’s uncle Mark Sanderson and others urged the city to oppose the renewal of the license.
“In summary, it is my opinion that the City Council should not consider taking action regarding the Roche liquor license until we have the MSP investigation report, the decision of the Attorney General’s office and the decision on whether the MLCC will proceed on the complaint which was filed with the MLCC,” wrote Fletcher in a March 15 memo to council. “To proceed without that information would put the City Council in a position where it could not conduct ‘a proper’ due process hearing.”
Wimmer said that in the end, despite all the witnesses and video footage, there remained a lack of evidence
“Our exhaustive review, overseen by some of our most experienced homicide prosecutors, began after the conclusion of the initial 5-month law enforcement investigation,” Wimmer said. “Our department spent months examining all available evidence and potentially applicable law as thoroughly and carefully as possible. There is in this case a lack of sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any criminal offense.”
Wimmer said that Conant’s death was tragic.
“Any unnecessary and untimely loss of such a young life is a tragedy, and this department expresses its continued condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Conant for their loss,” Wimmer said.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
