Coroner: Sean Levert Dies After Being Taken From Ohio Jail

By Thomas J. SheeranAssociated Press Writer CLEVELAND (AP) – Sean Levert, son of lead O’Jays singer Eddie Levert and a member of a hit-making trio with his late brother Gerald Levert, has died after a medical emergency in jail, the county coroner’s office said. Sean Levert, 39, was taken from the Cuyahoga County jail about 11 p.m. Sunday and died within the hour at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland, said Powell Caesar, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County’s coroner’s office. Levert was sentenced last week to one year and 10 months in jail for failing to pay $89,025 in child support. An autopsy was done Monday but no immediate cause of death was determined, according to Caesar, who said there was no evidence of foul play or trauma. Levert suffered from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail, Caesar said. Toxicology reports could take four to six weeks, Caesar said. Warden Kevin McDonough said Levert had been sick and guards were watching him at the jail’s regular cellblock because he had been acting strangely. He declined to be more specific about Levert’s medical condition. “There was nothing that would show any of this,” McDonough said. “He had an illness while he was here and it turned into an emergency at that time.” Levert was sentenced by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, who said a presentence report indicated he had been addicted to marijuana from the time he was 14 until recently. He didn’t speak at his sentencing and gave no indication of any health problems, the judge said Monday. Levert pleaded guilty in 1995 in Cleveland to drug abuse and was placed on probation and required to get treatment. Gerald Levert was 40 when he died in 2006 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The Levert brothers and childhood friend Marc Gordon formed the R&B trio LeVert in the 1980s. Their hits included “Baby I’m Ready,” “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind” and “Casanova,” which debuted in 1987. “Casanova” was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal. It was also nominated for best R&B song. Gerald Levert launched his solo career in 1991 but occasionally performed with his LeVert partners. Sean Levert found a new third partner last year and was involved trying to revive the group. At Gerald Levert’s funeral service on Nov. 17, 2006, Sean Levert and his father performed “Dance With My Father” and personalized the words for Gerald. The elder Levert’s group, the O’Jays, was known for such smash hits as “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train.” Last week, Sean Levert pleaded guilty to six counts of nonsupport in cases dating back to 2005 and 2007 and children ages 11, 15 and 17.