May 4, 2015

After Six Year Delay, Special Prosecutor Appointed, Guards At Psychiatric Hospital Indicted For Homicide of Patient



Josh Messler, 23, Died In Custody, After Brutal Guard Attack in Hospital

[From article]
Lisa Brown says there is finally justice for her late son Joshua Messier who was only 23 years old when he died while being restrained by guards at Bridgewater State Hospital six years ago.
Now three of those guards have been indicted, charged with manslaughter and civil rights violations.
“I’m thankful to God that finally, finally when it seemed like there wasn’t going to be any justice that there’s a first step,” said Lisa Brown.
Josh Messier suffered from schizophrenia. He was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital after staffers at a private hospital filed assault and battery charges.
A month later, the incident at Bridgewater was captured on video. Following his restraint, Messier died of heart failure.
“They piled on top of him. They pushed into his back. Apparently they folded him in half so he couldn’t breath,” Brown said.
Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz declined to press charges after what he called an exhaustive investigation.
But last year, Attorney General Martha Coakley reopened the case appointing a special prosecutor who decided to seek charges. Attorney Roderick MacLeish represented Joshua’s mother.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/05/01/bridgewater-state-hospital-guards-face-justice-for-patients-death/

Bridgewater State Hospital Guards Face Justice For Patient’s Death
May 1, 2015 6:48 PM
CBS News Boston MA
Jim Smith

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