Midland County, Michigan faces $75,000 lawsuit after Jack Marden dies due to 'spit mask'

By Staff Member | Jan 12, 2016 09:34 AM EST

The widow of Jack Marden who died in jail due to a 'spit mask' is suing Midland County, Michigan and numerous officers who she believes caused the death of her husband. Jack Marden who was strapped to a chair with no clothes on and only a white mesh mask better known as a 'spit mask,' died after falling unconscious due to the mask despite complaining he couldn't breathe.

According to a report from The Guardian, 56-year-old Jack Marden, a father of two with a history of severe depression and coronary heart disease, died at Midland Country, Michigan after being strapped to a chair with nothing on but a spit mask as officers tried to calm the prisoner down in order to prepare him for a hospital trip.

A report from RT adds how Mardens widow is suing the county and officers after her husband died to "severe anoxic brain injury ... proximately." Various court papers, documents, and a video proved that Marden, who was in prison for assault charges, complained he couldn't breathe while wearing the mask. However, due to his innapriopiate behaviour and 'super power strength' according to the police officers, the mask was kept on to protect themselves from the 56-year-old spitting on them.

Another report from the Raw Story goes on to explain how this is not the first time the incident has happened. Apparently ,over the years, a number of inmates of all ages have died due to the 'spit mask', however, no officers have ever been suspended as the case was inspected and no 'wrong doing' was found.

Marden's widow, Sharyl Marden is currently seeking financial damages for more than $75,000. Though, it is not sure what the overall outcome of the latest death by a 'spit mask' will come to, it has caused a lot of arguments and raised concerns on whether the said mask is as appropriate as how it's implemented to be. No further information on Jack Marden's death, or funeral plans have been released. 

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