Suicide at Washtenaw County Jail under investigation
A man charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct committed suicide Monday at the Washtenaw County Jail, authorities said.
Nicholas John Plennert II, 36, was found by a correctional officer about 4:55 p.m., who reported that Plennert had hanged himself, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies said.
He was taken to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators have interviewed the inmates on the cell block, said Derrick Jackson, the sheriff's department's director of community engagement. An internal investigation, which is considered routine in such a case, is also under way, Jackson said.
Jackson did not know whether Plennert shared a cell with anyone and did not have details about the charge he was facing. Michigan State Police at the Ypsilanti post confirmed they are investigating the case and arrested Plennert in October, but no further details were available this afternoon.
"There's nothing that would lead us to believe it wasn't a suicide," Jackson said.
Plennert was booked at the jail on Nov. 12 and hadn't been convicted of anything, Jackson said.
Mental health support is being offered to staff and inmates, officials said.
Comments
kristine
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 5:21 p.m.
oh yea and it nice they have support for the all the staff and inmates what about the FAMILY. Oh thats right they nobodys.. NICE AND i THINK THESTAFF NEED TO BE A LITTL NICER TO THESE PEOPLE IN THERE THEY HAVE THE CONVICTED BEFORE PROVEN INNICENT. WELL SOME DAY IT WILL HAPPEN TO ONE OF THERES AND THEY WILL OPEN THE EYES AND MAYBE THINGS WILL CHANGE IN THE WAY THEY TREAT THIS PEOLE
kristine
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 5:15 p.m.
ok they say he wasn't convicted of any think...but at the top of the page he was....so what are they going to do about the lady that stated this stuff and is t true.. so because nicks one now its ver and thi lady can do it to someone else. not the daughter the other lady. so she goes free for making faults charges..well go figure that thats are justice system for you...They need to invesagate tha lady and charge her whit murder if it was a false police report.
15crown00
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 2:46 a.m.
If you're charged with that crime and found guilty your future isn't to bright in the state prison system.
KeepingItReal
Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 4:20 p.m.
Eznbgreen: That was my reaction when I first read the article. What a waste of time to interview Jackson to ascertain information about the situation that occurred there. It almost seemed that he was being scatchy for a reason. The Sheriff's deputies who work in the jail are not the most friendliest nor the most responsive people. It's hard for me to believe that this gentleman could have hung himself with so much time going by that no one noticed it. Just doesn't sound right to me.
ezbngreen
Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 12:08 p.m.
Wow amazing that the director of community engagement Derrick Jackson did not know whether Plennert shared a cell with anyone and did not have details about the charge he was facing. Great so the new sheriff has appointed someone to this position who has no clue about basic information on what is going on in the department! This gives me no confidence in our sheriff and his administration to make any progress on how our community interacts and reacts to the department. You would think that when you put the information out there that you would at least try to have the basics covered.
11GOBLUE11
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 8:50 p.m.
I think annarbor.com does a very good job at what they do. My two cents.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 6:49 p.m.
"Ironic that mental health support is being offered to inmates." Why? Whats the "irony"?
Tony Dearing
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 5:39 p.m.
Two comments were removed because they violate our conversation guidelines.
treetowncartel
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 2:55 p.m.
I was merely qouting Michigan Law and agreeing with tiredofmess that a charge like that would put on some pressure.
News Watcher
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 2:54 p.m.
Ironic that mental health support is being offered to inmates.
Lars
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 2:44 p.m.
Welcome to AnnArbor.com. They don't proofread, either. I think the guy's last name is "Plennert," not Pennert as written in second-to-last paragraph. Of course the Ann Arbor News wasn't any better. Now there are just fewer facts to get wrong.
djm12652
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 1:41 p.m.
Too bad for this guy's family; perhaps relief for his "alleged" victim. But on another note, does not Amalie Nash proof any postings? The writing in the article is mish-mashed, and the flow pretty much does not exist. Are individual sentences posted as a paragraph to increase the size of the article?
tiredofmess
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 1:09 p.m.
Not the first time and most likely won't be the last. Sometimes the pressure is too much.