Brandon Johnson died at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex on October 6, 2012. When Mr. Johnson entered the Complex, he was physically healthy. Three days later, he died of complications from a broken neck.
On Monday, March 4, 2013, an open-court John Doe investigation began into the death of Brandon Johnson. The John Doe is taking place in the courtroom of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Conen. Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Mark Williams, who is conducting the John Doe, began the proceedings with an opening statement where he told the Court that Mr. Johnson died from an embolism caused by blood clots. Two nurses at the Complex testified that Mr. Johnson seemed physically healthy when he was admitted to the Complex. Video from the Complex showed Mr. Johnson walking on his own when he was admitted.
After being admitted to the Complex, Brandon Johnson complained for three days of paralysis in his legs. A doctor who examined Mr. Johnson determined that he had a psychosomatic condition, and not a physical injury. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy of Mr. Johnson determined that Mr. Johnson’s seventh vertebra was broken as a result of blunt-force trauma.
The John Doe into Brandon Johnson’s death will continue for at least the next two days. The purpose of the John Doe is to determine whether any of the staff at the Complex were criminally negligent in the death of Mr. Johnson. For more information about the John Doe investigation, please see the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel here.
The Wisconsin wrongful death lawyers of Samster, Konkel & Safran represent the parents of Brandon Johnson. We will provide continuing updates on the John Doe on this website, and on our Blog, which can be found here.
