CLEVELAND — Three MetroHealth police officers and a Cuyahoga County sheriff's deputy will not face criminal charges in the May 2025 death of a woman in county custody.
Special prosecutor Brian Kraft confirmed to News 5 Investigators that a Cuyahoga County grand jury declined to indict the officers this week on reckless homicide charges in the death of Tasha Grant.
Grant, who was an inmate in the county jail, had been transported to MetroHealth days before her death after complaining of chest pains.
An autopsy found the 39-year-old died as a result of physical restraint in the setting of congestive heart failure.
In September, her death was ruled a homicide.
RELATED: Death of woman who died in Cuyahoga County custody ruled homicide
Body camera video showed that on the day Grant died, she was agitated and had gotten out of her hospital bed.
The recordings showed Grant, a double-leg amputee, threatening to fight officers.
That's when the video showed officers pick Grant up and restrain her against a bed.
In the recordings, Grant told officers 23 times that she could not breathe.
According to the video, she was then given an injection in her arm by a member of the medical staff and handcuffed to her hospital bed.
Grant's autopsy report stated she went into cardiac arrest 13 minutes after she was restrained and died.
In October, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department announced the investigation into Grant's death would be conducted by the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office requested a special prosecutor to handle the case.
Grant's family has filed a federal lawsuit against the Cuyahoga County sheriff, Cuyahoga County, MetroHealth, the officers involved and others.
Wednesday afternoon, the attorneys for Grant's family issued the following statement:
"The family of Tasha Grant was disappointed to learn that the officers involved in her untimely death last year will not face criminal charges for their actions at MetroHealth Medical Center.
The family will now focus its attention on the civil lawsuit we've filed in federal court. While prosecutors worked to determine whether criminal charges could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, our civil case asks different questions and at a different standard.
At issue is whether Ms. Grant's constitutional rights were violated, whether accepted medical standards were breached and whether or not those failures caused or contributed to her unnecessary death.
As we all witnessed from the video, Ms. Grant was treated inhumanely and was suffocated by MetroHealth police officers. She screamed for help 23 times while MetroHealth employees watched her slowly die but did not render aid.
In addition, our investigation has revealed substantial evidence concerning both the restraint of Ms. Grant and the medical care she received while she was hospitalized.
We will continue to fight for justice for Ms. Grant's family."
Wednesday night, MetroHealth shared a statement regarding the proceedings:
We wanted to ensure you had a statement from us regarding the grand jury proceedings:
MetroHealth appreciates the time and care the grand jury devoted to reviewing this matter and thanks its members for considering all the facts before reaching their conclusion that our officers acted appropriately.
While the decision brings clarity to this process, it does not diminish the profound loss at the center of this case. Tasha Grant was well known to many members of the MetroHealth family and meant a great deal to those who cared for her. Her passing continues to be felt throughout our organization, and we share in the sorrow experienced by her family, friends and loved ones.
Our clinical and public safety staff come to work each day because they believe in MetroHealth’s mission of caring for every patient, regardless of their background, circumstances or ability to pay. That commitment remains at the heart of everything we do.
We are grateful for the grand jury's thorough review and remain committed to serving our community with compassion, dignity and care.
