James Dunigan
James Dunigan, 57, died in 2016 after Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers took him into custody in Kalamazoo. Police said he was declared dead at the Kalamazoo County Jail about 90 minutes after his arrest. The department's investigation concluded that his significant medical and personal history were the only factors in his death, but also found that the officers should have recognized his condition and sought medical treatment. His family filed a federal lawsuit against officers Eric Shaffer and Derek Nugent, and in 2018 the Kalamazoo city commission approved an $810,000 settlement.
Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined (disputed; neglect alleged). The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigation attributed his death to his significant medical and personal history, but the department also found officers should have recognized his condition and sought medical treatment, and his family's federal lawsuit against two officers led to an $810,000 settlement.
Reported by: Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (the agency that held him); his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Kalamazoo city officers in federal court after his 2016 death and the city commission approved an $810,000 settlement in 2018.