Orange County Inmate's Death: Suicide or Something Else?

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On March 16, 2010,  Michelle Marie Gee, a 41 year old drug addict had a probationary hearing in the Orange County California Courts to discuss her compliance in a court ordered drug program.  Stemming from a conviction for possession, on Sept 17, 2009.  During the drug diversion court hearing she admitted that she was still using.  Michelle'a mother,  Karen Schue told reporters this week; that her daughter is an addict who started using drugs four years ago, after losing her job. During the hearing,  Karen said; "Michelle, broke down and told them she needed help and couldn't do it by herself.  She was told, they'd get her that help. Her mother said; arrangements were made to put her in the medical ward to treat her." Michele was also suffering from a painful staff infection on her foot, that Karen said, her daughter was told would also be treated, once she was inside the jail - medical facility. 

While Michelle has had the normal ups and downs most addicts go thru - since starting her probation in September,  I can not imagine anyone more motivated - than one who would throw themselves on the mercy of the courts - in a request to get clean - knowing full well the plea would entail jail time. Michelle was remanded to the Intake Release Center (IRC) for Women,  in the Central Justice Center - Santa Ana on March 16, 2009. 

At around 9:00 in the evening, on March 17, Karen Schue opened her door to an official from the OC District Attorney's office, an OC Sheriff's Deputy and several Westminster Police Officers. They were there to inform her, of her daughter's death. Karen was told  that  Michelle  committed suicide while alone in her cell. They claimed she had been found at 4:15 PM; unresponsive. Deputies, medical personnel from the jail and paramedics attempted to save her life, but it was too late. Schue was told; "It took 20 minutes to get to her and she was gone." 

Michelle's heartbroken mother was not even allowed the courtesy of seeing her daughter, one last time; "They wouldn't let me see the body, because she was under county care," Schue said. When the the county released her body, five days later, an autopsy had been done and she had been embalmed. 

Michelle Gee had several brushes with the law over the years, the Orange County (CA) Superior Court website  listed two misdemeanor  cases of receiving stolen property - one in 2005, the most recent in 2007.  In 2009 - Michelle pled guilty to Felony Unlawful  Possession of a Controlled Substance and Misdemeanor Unauthorized Possession of a Hypodermic Needle. On September 17, 2009,  Michelle was sentenced to 3 years (formal) Probation - (Penal Code 1210)  Drug Program and 3/week - Alcoholic Anonymous Meetings.

In light of full disclosure, over the last 12 years Michelle had 7 prior cases on the books at the OC Courts, every charge involved motor vehicle offenses; including seat belt violation, failure to stop behind the line and driving without insurance. None involved drugs, alcohol or recklessness.

Not to make light of her  offenses, but this is not  the rap sheet of a hardened criminal. With California in such dyer financial trouble, this is not the record of someone we would expect to find incarcerated. This is someone, we should hope the state would demand attend an inpatient drug detox, using the time to treat the infection in her foot  and to start a nutrition program  - while getting her off drugs.  Following detox, if necessary to wait for a bed to become available in a registered adult, Sober Living Facility - formal (ankle monitored) - house arrest - with 3/week AA or NA meetings. If she tested dirty, she could have been immediately returned to house arrest or whatever the rules of the  Facility  demanded - Michelle Gee made some unwise decisions in her life, but Michelle Gee did not belong in prison.

Something the courts records don't tell about Michelle Gee... She was the mother of a young daughter.

Something Michelle Gee was not, according to her friends and family; is suicidal.  Karen Schue claims, Michelle had never expressed any suicidal tendencies, she would never leave her daughter; her daughter was her whole life. She loved her daughter, and us, too, way too much. Michelle Gee's friends have also come forward telling the same story.

 Mike Rogers, says he disputed what he said was the sheriff's official story that Michelle committed suicide. "She wouldn't hang herself," Rogers said. "She has a daughter and she was outgoing. She had a staph infection, and probably what happened was, she kept pressing the button [to demand medical attention] and they probably choked her out."

 Laura Dinatale another friend of Michelle's isn't buying the official report either;  "Anybody who knew her  would know she wouldn't do that," Dinatale said. "Things were starting to look up for her. There is no reason she would take her own life."

Her mother said,  Michelle called a family friend after 3 :00 PM on 3/17, and told the friend that she still hadn't been treated for either her infection or her withdrawal symptoms. "Anybody that goes into a medical ward or who is in withdrawal for drugs needs help," Karen said. "They're sick and need something to come down with. My question is, did she get medical treatment?"  

Division staff and volunteers assure that the Orange County Sheriff  Department meets or exceeds Title 15 of the Minimum Jail Standards by providing support services, to foster rehabilitation and reduce recidivism of inmates once they leave the Sheriff’s custody. The IRC where Karen was housed at the time of her death, was added to the OC JC in 1988,  it boasts the lowest death rate for inmates in the country. The primary function is to ease over crowding and to facilitate inmates smooth transition into and out of the CJC. This would include assuring new inmates are promptly and accurately  accessed for their medical needs. 

For reasons known only to them, neither the  Sheriff's Department nor the District Attorney's office issued a press release revealing an inmate had died - 24 hours after being remanded to their custody. Until they were presented with outside verification they refused to even verify the death occurred. 

Late this week, a statement that presented the information given to Karen Schue, with Sheriff's spokesmen John McDonald adding; "The circumstances of the death are under investigation by the District Attorney, as is routine in all cases of in custody deaths. All further questions are referred to the District Attorney."

Confirming they are involved in the investigation, DA spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder added; "We do all in-custody investigations and don't reveal any facts until we're done," she said. "I'm sure it will be months until we finish." 

Karen Schue is demanding answers; "Where is the surveillance system inside that jail," she asked. "Who was on watch?" Karen also noted that the sheriff-coroner - that housed Michelle when she died and reported her suicide;  is the same agency to perform the official autopsy;  those results have yet to be made public. She added "Something doesn't sound right. She wasn't suicidal, I can tell you that, and I'm not going to lay dead on this."
                                                                                                                                    Friends and family of Michelle Gee gave their their statements to the OC Weekly.