COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – More defendants have been added to a federal lawsuit that was filed originally against the Coldwater Police Department and the City of Coldwater. The suit was filed in December 2017 by former Coldwater resident Tiffany McNeil over an incident at the Branch County Jail which was videotaped by Sheriff’s Department cameras and picked up by news organizations all over the world.
According to a history of the case that has been posted at www.pacermonitor.com, the additional defendants are Coldwater Director of Police and Fire Services Mark Bartell, Deputy Director Joe Scheid, three Branch County Corrections Officers and Branch County Prosecutor Ralph Kimble.
Chief Judge Robert J. Jonker has ordered lawyers for the two sides appear in person for what is called a Rule 16 scheduling conference May 22, 2018. According to federal rules for civil procedures, such conferences are held for a number of reasons, such as expediting dispositions, establishing control to prevent the case from becoming protracted, discouraging wasteful pretrial activities or facilitating a settlement.
Many condemned the actions of Eastmead and other officers in the video on social media. The incident happened July 24, 2017, but Eastmead remained a city employee until January 12, 2018.
McNeil charged excessive force and a civil rights violation in her lawsuit. She is demanding damages of at least $75,000. McNeil is also claiming police lied about the incident in their reports. She was brought to the jail following a domestic incident with her husband in which she consumed alcohol.
