The man who hung himself at the Harford County Detention Center died Jan. 29, the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed Wednesday.
Norman Michael Miller, 42, died Jan. 29, according to the medical examiner’s office. The cause and manner of his death are pending.
According to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, at 4:55 p.m. on Jan. 25 a 42-year-old male inmate, who was not initially identified, attempted to hang himself. The man was treated at the jail and later transported to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in critical condition. The man was serving a 30-day sentence on traffic charges, Hopkins said. He was not on a protective watch, and was not considered an at-risk inmate.
Harford County Attorney Robert McCord on Tuesday identified Miller and said his case is under investigation. McCord said he was “not at liberty to disclose any details concerning what occurred at the Harford County Detention Center (HCDC) including any medical information and any information as to his location within the facility.”
Miller was removed from the custody of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office by court order on Jan. 26, according to McCord, a step taken in the event of serious injuries to an inmate and which allows their family to make medical decisions about their care. McCord said he “[did] not have any information concerning his current status” after that point.
Beyond the Sheriff’s Office initial release, requests by The Dagger for updates on Miller’s condition went unanswered until four days later. On Jan. 29, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Edward Hopkins said the agency would now follow a new policy regarding all deaths at the Detention Center, under which it would release initial details and then refer further questions to the Harford County Law Department and McCord. The policy was implemented at the direction of Sheriff Jesse Bane over concerns of “possible future litigation” in such cases. Calls to McCord shortly thereafter went unanswered until Tuesday.
Miller’s death is at least the ninth at the Detention Center in the last five years, and the third suicide in just over a year. The most recent came in November, when a 45-year-old Edgewood man incarcerated in connection with an assault hung himself in his cell.
Jesse Bane has a new policy and that is that he is not going to answer to the citizens of this county or the media. Same bag of tricks he used during the last election to hide the Mark Forwood case from everyone. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and in Bane’s case, it sure is accurate.
@OnPoint,
You called this one correctly a week ago! What a joke they are making of the Office. Confirming that this person had died in NO WAY could impact any litigation. It is a non-negotiable fact unless someone can restore him to life. It is a cop out on Bane’s part and a covering action on part of the county attorney.
This case is still under investigation. Who is investigating? Is the Harford County Sheriff’s Office investigating itself?
guess you will have to ask the county attorney.
The word “hanged” rather than “hung” should have been used in the lead sentence. Pictures are hung, people are hanged is a way to remember it.
Otto, if you want to teacher there will be two opening in the school system in June.
Try proofreading your sentence. If you want to teacher? There will be two opening? Say what?
Put them bucknekkid, in empty cells. That’ll fix the hanging problem.
I don’t want people to see my husband naked! haha that body is MINE!
Typical Jesse, seeing through rose colored glasses, pushing the nasty stuff onto other people to make himself look good.
While it does pass onto others the nasty stuff, it is somewhat justified insofar as an attempt to limit the financial exposure of all Harford County citizens to lawsuits brought by families of those who have died at the DC. And, in my opinion, we are significantly exposed.
Why are most ready to blame others for an individual’s actions? Was this person an outstanding citizen is the community? A “law abiding” citizen? Who placed himself in the care of the HCDC? He and only “he.” HE chose too. It’s unreal and unbelievable that anyone can find fault with the HCDC. He chose his life and his actions. End of story. My bad….someone must be looking for “$.”
While this man deserved to be in jail, I hardly believe he chose to be there, nor do I think he was a volunteer inmate. That said, I also believe that the function of the HCSO is to provide a secure and safe environment for both inmates and staff. Many staff express that the DC is not a safe environment for them, and if it is not safe for them, then how could it be safe for inmates. I do not believe that the officers did anything wrong, however, failure to adequately staff the DC and failure to provide competent leadership at the DC leaves the HCSO and the County open to litigation that a safe environment was not provided and led to this mans death.
OMG Mikie. You have to be a politician, lawyer or running 4 office. Words of a Politician. Double talk ” deserved but not chose.” Why was “he there?” HIS ACTIONS! Personal responsibiliy. Still have yet to hear this was his 1st offense and sent to the slammer. First time offender? Anyone?? Yo. Anyone?
Are you serious? He was a someone’s son, fiance, brother. Although he may have done something stupid that landed him in HCDC for only a 30 day sentence, I highly doubt that in the end, he decided to kill himself!!! I surely hope no one in your circle of family or friends ever make a mistake, I can tell they will surely not be able to count on you for support, because you are sooo perfect. I believe that there is something not right with this picture and I am sure that if his family and friends had a choice, they would rather have him back than to have Harford County’s stupid money. Some people amaze me!!!!
OMG Mikie. You have to be a politician, lawyer or running 4 office. Words of a Politician. Double talk ” deserved but not chose.” Why was “he there?” HIS ACTIONS! Personal responsibiliy. Still have yet to hear this was his 1st offense and sent to the slammer. First time offender? Anyone?? Yo. Anyone?
He was there because the court sent him there. He was not a volunteer. Did he give the court reason to send him there… sure. Many others have done the same thing that he did and were not sent to jail for various reasons. Each case is decided on its own merits. Who cares if he was sent to jail on his first offense or subsequent offenses, he was there none the less, and he was allegedly not in a safe environment.
I have no problem with people being sent to jail for their offenses. Once there, they should be in a safe environment, both Officers and Inmates. To do otherwise sets the citizens of our County up for significant financial losses.
No doubt there will be a lawsuit from this death. Several lawsuits have been filed in the past for the same reason. The lack of leadership, low morale and ineptness at the jail has created another financial threat for the citizens of Harford County.
Yo LKM. Obvisiouly he did and didn’t want any witness (for monetery reasons.) Persons in my “inner circle” suffer from responsibilty, morals and values. Mistakes are a part of “our” daily life and not needing a Judge to decide. I believe it’s called “Family Support”, and I STRESS “Family.” And “only now” does the Family (and others) wish to get involved. LKM, question: Was this is 1st run in with the law being a LAW abiding citizen?
F.L. — No this was not his first offense, he had a lengthy record that included some very serious and violent crimes.
;-). I know. Thank you.
And yet there is still NO warden to run the Detention Center. No central figure for the correctional officers to turn to for leadership, to set the example, to take responsibility for the building and its occupants. Its like an ant hill on the side of the bypass with no queen. On the same hand he could have chosen a warden quite some time ago and the memo is stuck on his desk… or it is taking the normal god knows when amount of time to actually take place like the majority of personnel decisions.
Does anyone edit anymore?
Product(s) of “No child left behind.” Expect worse with time.
Well I am sure glad this is put to bed. All you sour grapes. Let the poor man rest now. When the pen hits the paper Bane is the best Sheriff ever in the history of Harford County. He is forward thinking, and his decisions are right on the money even though many don’t like them. He does not need a Warden because he is in charge. He knows best and it does not matter what people think. And the inmates don’t need more pillows or blankets. If people don’t want to work at the jail they should quit. It’s Bane’s way or the highway so get used to it.
I’m guessing this is sarcasm…