A 40-year-old man who died in police custody Jan. 18 suffered
from bipolar disorder, but the cause of his death is not being
released by the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office until results
from toxicology tests are in, which could take up to 12 weeks.
Morgan Hill – A 40-year-old man who died in police custody Jan. 18 suffered from bipolar disorder, but the cause of his death is not being released by the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office until results from toxicology tests are in, which could take up to 12 weeks.
According to the Web site Bipolar.com, bipolar disorder is a condition that can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. It causes mood swings, with the patient suffering from extreme depression as well as emotional highs that can be considered manic. The disorder was once referred to as “manic-depressive.” The extremes can be uncomfortable for the patient, as well as his or her family and friends; they can also be dangerous, according to the Web site.
Ronald Eugene Blighton Jr., was arrested on the evening of Jan. 18 on an outstanding traffic warrant after police were called to his home on Barnell Avenue for a domestic dispute. Because the dispute was not physical, Blighton was not charged with domestic violence.
Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing said he was arrested without incident, and was not restrained by a “wrap,” which consists of plastic mesh used to control subjects. Officers did not use a taser on Blighton.
Once in the booking area of the station, Blighton was handcuffed to a stationary bench. No other suspects were in custody at the time, Swing said, and most of the time Blighton was in booking, there were two patrol officers and one multi-service officer with him.
“Officers were quick to provide aid; they began administering CPR immediately upon noticing that he was not responsive,” Swing said.
The department’s CPR training is current, he added.
Swing said he could not discuss the nature of Blighton’s “medical distress.”
MHPD does have a booking procedure officers follow, but Swing added, the procedure “is fluid and dynamic” because it can change “based upon the needs of the prisoner and the needs of the department.”
If the suspect in custody is cooperative, and officers only have one suspect in custody, for example, the officers would be able to follow the set procedure. However, if the suspect is uncooperative or there are more suspects in the booking area, for example, the procedure can be adjusted to compensate for the circumstances.
“If the subject is someone who is uncooperative, that may change how things progress, meaning that we may not choose to house him,” Swing said. “Which is what was decided on the night Mr. Blighton was arrested. He was going to be taken straight to county jail with one of our transport officers.”
Swing said he could not be more specific about the case.
“Because of the sensitive nature of the case, and because we don’t want to compromise any part of the investigation, I can talk about abstract policy and procedure, but not specifics,” he said.
Swing said that if a suspect is bipolar, he or she may have extreme reactions that may not be recognized as mental illness because they appear as if the suspect is intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance. A bipolar suspect could also have a normal demeanor, he said.
The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday, Swing said.
Repeated attempts to contact Michele Rearden, Blighton’s wife, were unsuccessful.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@*************es.com.
