MUNISING, MI— Felony misconduct charges have been dropped against two Michigan Department of Corrections employees charged in the death of an Alger County inmate in 2019.
Corrections Officer Shawn Brinkman and former Sergeant Jason Denman worked at the Alger County Correctional Facility, where Jonathan Lancaster died of dehydration. Both were charged with misconduct in office.
WLUC-TV says last week, an Alger County judge determined the Attorney General’s Office hadn’t met the necessary burden of proof in the case.
Involuntary manslaughter charges against six other prison employees were dismissed in a September preliminary exam. Two of the defendants were former Acting Warden Scott Sprader and former Assistant Deputy Warden Benny Mercier.
