Bolick atty: 'something doesn't add up'

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Matthew Bolick's family is far from convinced the medical examiner answered the questions over his death after being Tasered by police in November.

Bolick, 30, died of acute exhaustive mania, also known as excited delirium syndrome, said Dr. David Start of the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office. Start said the death was brought on by a psychiatric disorder.

But an attorney for Bolick's family, Bill Mills, told 24 Hour News 8, "Something doesn't add up."

The law firm of Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman, LLP is conducting an investigation into the incident. There have been more than 330 deaths linked to Taser use by police in the United States, according to Amnesty International.

"While Matt¹s family continues to grieve his passing, we will do everything in our power to resolve this issue, ensuring that it never happens again, per the family's wishes," Mills said in a statement.

Bolick was a Central Michigan University student studying meteorology, and worked at UPS.

Start said he searched for any sign that Bolick's death was caused by police, who responded to his East Grand Rapids home after Bolick's dad called 911 for help. The father told 911 his son was out of control and had crashed through a window.

"As far as the Taser use is concerned, some of the key factors with the Taser is where the applications occurred on the body, and what was the reaction of the individual being Tased after it occured," Start said.

He said the Tasing did not cause Bolick's collapse, which came later. And the probes did not hit anywhere near Bolick's heart, which Start said is what happened in the few cases nationwide where Tasers may have contributed to deaths.

In fact, Start said, it was not clear the probes actually made contact with Bolick's skin. There was evidence, though, Bolick had been Tased. There was small abrasions or burns in a uniform pattern on his torso and right arm.

"And that may be part of the reason why he didn't immediately collapse with the first discharge," Start said, "because if the probes don't actually get into the skin, just into the clothing, it's not going to cause that much difficulty."

What Start said caused Bolick's death from Excited Delirium is more commonly drug-induced, but not in Bolick's case.

Start said a chemical imbalance likely caused Bolick to spin out of control, becoming aggressive, agitated, violent. That caused his adrenaline to shoot up, his temperature to rise, and ultimately, his heart to suddenly stop.

"It's a relatively rare cause for sudden death."

Attorney Mills told 24 Hour News 8 Start will have a chance to try to explain it to them when they meet with him next week.