By Chris B. Bennett, The Seattle Medium
King County has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estate of Michael Rowland, the 63 year old man who died in custody at the King County Jail after correctional officers restrained him shortly after his arrest.
The settlement resolves claims stemming from Rowland’s April 2022 death, a case that drew scrutiny over the treatment of people experiencing mental health crises inside the county jail and renewed concerns about in custody deaths at the facility.
Rowland, who was Black, disabled and experiencing homelessness, was arrested by Seattle police while experiencing an apparent mental health crisis at a downtown Seattle hotel.
According to attorney James Bible of the Bible Law Group, which represented Rowland’s family and estate, Rowland had struggled with mental illness for years, a condition that contributed to periods of homelessness while keeping him separated from family at times. Despite those challenges, Bible said Rowland remained closely connected to his loved ones.
“His wife continued to love him, his daughter continued to care for him,” Bible said. “They continued to see him on occasion, and all of those things that a family would do when somebody was in a difficult sort of circumstance.”
According to Bible, on the night in question, Rowland encountered another unhoused man before entering a downtown Seattle hotel in search of food.
“Michael Rowland saw a younger homeless man and told him ‘we’re gonna eat tonight’ and went into a hotel and said basically that they needed to give him food,” said Bible.
According to reports, Rowland made statements while at the hotel that Bible claims should have signaled he was experiencing a mental health crisis, including claiming to be “a dragon” and saying he “ate planets.” He was later arrested and transported to the King County Jail by ambulance while restrained on a gurney.
Bible said Rowland’s transport to the jail by ambulance and arrival on a gurney should have alerted jail staff that he required medical care rather than incarceration.
“It was clear that he was mentally ill,” said Bible.
“He was transported to the jail in an ambulance, which is a highly unusual sort of circumstance,” Bible added. “Brought in on a gurney, which should’ve told the jail staff that he was a person that needed to be in the hospital not a jail.”
Shortly after arriving at the jail, Rowland was taken to a holding cell where correctional officers removed his clothing and changed him into jail issued attire while restraining him in a prone position, according to court filings and prior reporting. Investigative records indicate multiple correctional officers held Rowland face down while controlling his shoulders and legs during the booking process. Prior reporting by The Seattle Times stated officers also placed their knees on his back. The restraint methods used during the booking process later became central to the family’s wrongful death allegations against King County.
“They forcefully took his clothes off, had him in a prone position while he had a spit mask on and eventually he died,” said Bible.
According to prior reporting by The Seattle Times, Rowland became unresponsive shortly after officers left the cell. The King County Medical Examiner determined he died from “sudden death during physical restraint,” with cardiovascular disease, obesity and acute psychosis listed as contributing factors. The manner of death was classified as undetermined.
Rowland’s death occurred during a period of increased scrutiny of the King County Jail, which experienced multiple in custody deaths in 2022 amid staffing shortages and concerns regarding access to medical and mental health care.
Investigators previously declined to bring criminal charges against correctional officers involved in the restraint. In a 2023 memorandum, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges and recommended an inquest into the death. The review stated officers followed existing jail procedures during the booking process and noted there were no policies at the time restricting prone restraint techniques inside the jail.
In 2024, Rowland’s family filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against King County alleging jail officials failed to respond to “obvious and noteworthy injuries” and medical needs requiring immediate attention. The lawsuit further alleged jail personnel should have recognized Rowland was experiencing a significant health crisis and diverted him to medical care rather than incarceration.
Although a federal judge dismissed the initial complaint in March, Rowland’s family filed an amended complaint. The settlement resolves the remaining claims.
Bible said the settlement does not undo the family’s loss but provides accountability and support.
“This does not bring Michael back, of course, and he was a valuable part of the family,” said Bible. “What it does do is it provides some amount of deterrent to the jails and also at the same time supports the family that he loves so dearly.”
“With anything like this, it’s going to be highly emotional for the family because they fought so long and so hard for justice for their loved one,” added Bible. “We’ll get together in probably about two or three weeks maybe two weeks and sit down and celebrate Michael in a way that’s appropriate with the family.”
