A settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit against Genesee County and several sheriff's deputies in the death of a Flint woman.
The lawsuit claims that Joice Howard's repeated requests for medication and treatment for seizures were denied while she was held at the Genesee County Jail.
"Genesee and several deputies did not afford Ms. Howard medical attention which contributed to the events leading to her death," said Neal Wilensky, the lawyer for Howard's estate. "It was a deliberate indifference claim against several of the Genesee deputies."
Wilensky said the terms of the settlement agreement with Genesee County and the deputies are confidential.
According to Wilensky, a case is still pending against Grand Blanc Township police officers named in the lawsuit.
"They should not have arrested Howard because there was no basis for them to check LEIN (Law Inforcement Information Network) information," said Wilensky. "She had done nothing wrong that night."
Wilensky said the Grand Blanc officers refused repeated requests of Howard and family members for medical help despite being informed that Howard had a seizure disorder, was in a wheelchair, and needed seizure medication, and despite her being right outside Genesys Hospital at the time of her arrest.
