PORTLAND, Oregon — A Multnomah County grand jury has indicted two Multnomah County corrections deputies related to the deaths of two inmates this year. Deputies James Brauckmiller and Michael Mersereau have each been charged on a single count of official misconduct in the first degree.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said the charge is related to two deaths that happened this year, but they declined to provide more details. Detectives on the case have learned that both men may have not performed their job duties as required.
The MCSO said they've opened separate investigations into their alleged conduct that the Multnomah County District Attorney's (MCSA) office will take over.
KGW reached out to the MCSO for comment, but they declined.
However, in a statement, MCSO said, “While an indictment is an accusation of a crime, the MCSO takes all allegations of misconduct seriously, and we will continue to cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure a thorough investigation into these matters.”
This indictment comes as 10 people have died in Multnomah County jails since the start of 2022 — seven of which took place this year. The medical examiner has confirmed with KGW that one died of acute cocaine poisoning, three deaths were due to natural causes, two others were suicides, and four death investigations are still pending.
Both Brauckmiller and Mersereau have been placed on administrative leave, which the MCSO said is standard practice.
The MCSO said they will not be commenting further on these particular proceedings in order to maintain the integrity of the criminal case.