McKinley
A Muskegon County Jail inmate was found unresponsive in his jail cell at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 22), less than a half hour after a physical confrontation with deputies during an escape attempt.
According to information released by Muskegon County Sheriff Dean Roesler Monday morning, 34-year-old Dahnontae Renarr McKinley was found by jail deputies who rendered immediate medical treatment. Efforts to revive McKinley failed, and he was transported to Mercy Health Partners Hackley campus where he was pronounced dead at 4:34 p.m.
Prior to McKinley being found unresponsive, videotape recordings at the jail show McKinley physically pushing past a guard to escape his cell. The recordings show the prisoner being escorted back to his cell by several deputies. Once again, McKinley tried to forcibly escape from his cell and physically resisted deputies.
As McKinley fought deputies a jail trustee rendered assistance to the guards. Pepper spray was used to subdue McKinley, but it did not have an effect on him.
Two guards were injured in the struggle, both of whom were treated at Hackley Hospital and released.
Ultimately, deputies’ efforts to restrain McKinley were successful and he was placed in a restraint chair in his cell. No other inmates were in the cell with McKinley after the incident.
On a routine check, deputies found McKinley unresponsive, immediately administered emergency medical treatment and called an ambulance.
At Sheriff Roesler’s request, the circumstances surrounding McKinley’s death are being investigated by the Michigan State Police. An investigation of an inmate death by an outside agency is standard procedure, according to the release. All videotape recordings have been turned over to the Michigan State Police, and Roesler said his department is fully cooperating with investigators.
An autopsy has been performed, and the sheriff said results are pending.
McKinley had been an inmate in the Muskegon County Jail since Dec. 12, and was held pending charges of robbery. He was also pending charges for solicitation of prostitution and domestic violence-second. Records show he has a history of multiple convictions of domestic violence, aggravated assault and a felony controlled substance crime.