Lansing, Mich. — A man has died after falling from an upper gallery at a Michigan prison, marking the fifth fatality since 2020 at two facilities in the region where safety concerns over low railings have been raised. Ervin Robinson II, 42, tragically passed away on Saturday after the fall at the Egeler Correctional Facility in Jackson County, according to Lucas Verran, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections. The incident remains under investigation.
Robinson’s death follows a troubling pattern. Since 2020, four other inmates have died after falling or jumping at the Egeler and Parnall Correctional Facilities, both of which are located in Jackson. Four of these deaths were classified as suicides, sparking renewed attention to the design of the prison’s upper floors.
The railings in these areas, which are only 38 inches (about 96.5 centimeters) high, have come under scrutiny due to their apparent inadequacy in preventing falls. The issue was brought to light in 2023 when a prison employee filed a complaint about the railings with Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In response, the concern was forwarded to workplace safety regulators, yet the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) ultimately closed the case, concluding that no hazard existed without conducting a site visit.
State officials have maintained that no further action is necessary. A representative from the Michigan Department of Corrections wrote to MIOSHA, asserting that the current height of the railings does not present a danger. However, the deaths of multiple inmates, combined with the unresolved complaints, suggest that further examination of the facility’s safety measures may be necessary.
Robinson had been incarcerated at Egeler since 2020 after being sentenced to up to eight years in prison for failure to pay child support in Kent County. Despite being granted parole on two occasions, he was returned to prison for violations of parole terms.
State Senator Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, has expressed concern over the persistent safety issues at the two facilities. She was informed that raising the railings to a safer height would cost millions of dollars, a significant financial hurdle for the state. However, Chang emphasized that the safety of those incarcerated should be a priority, noting, “It’s definitely something I’m tracking and something I’m concerned about.”
As the investigation into Robinson’s death continues, the debate over prison safety in Michigan is likely to intensify. Advocates for reform have called for more comprehensive measures to prevent further fatalities, including the installation of higher railings or other safety interventions to protect inmates from such tragic incidents.
With the cost of improvements cited as a barrier to action, it remains to be seen whether state officials will take more significant steps to address the issue or if another tragic death will be required to prompt change. For now, the families and communities affected by these deaths continue to demand answers and accountability for the safety of those incarcerated in Michigan’s correctional facilities.
