Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said a court bailiff acted in lawful self-defense when he killed a man during an attempted eviction — but the case also shows the need for mental health crisis intervention teams.
The 36th District Court bailiff shot Sherman Butler to death in Butler’s Detroit apartment last July. The bailiff was there with an eviction order, and Detroit police were also on the scene when the shooting occurred. According to witness reports, Butler was extremely volatile, agitated, and stated that he wouldn’t leave the apartment unless law enforcement killed him first.
Officers attempted to tase Butler, but that failed to take effect. They had also called for a crisis intervention team, but before it could arrive, Butler allegedly moved toward the bailiff with a box cutter, prompting the court officer to shoot and kill him.
Worthy said a review of the evidence, including officers’ body cam footage, showed the bailiff acted in “lawful self-defense and defense of others,” and that the shooting was “justified in this case.” She denied a warrant request and declined to issue charges against him.
But Worthy added that the circumstances of Butler’s shooting are “far too common, and evinces a continued need for mental health crisis intervention teams."
"The body worn camera footage shows the 36th District Court bailiff did try to deescalate the actions of Mr. Butler, and the police did call a crisis intervention team. However, prior to their arrival, the bailiff had to act in self-defense and defense of others, and as a result Mr. Butler is now deceased," said Worthy.
Detroit Police have taken steps to beef up and utilize crisis intervention teams, as part of an effort to deal with what former Chief James White called an escalating crisis in the number of mental health-related calls police have dealt with in the past several years. “I could not anticipate the impact of the mental health system on policing–what we're dealing with and what we're up against,” White said in May.
