Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: Sheriff David Clarke reverses acceptance of Homeland Security role:report [View all]Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Clarke has been repeatedly accused of abusing detainees at the county jail.[41] Following the deaths of four inmates at the jail in six months, the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation of the jail.[41] Milwaukee County chief medical examiner Brian Peterson accused Clarke of verbally harassing and threatening him in an October 2016 telephone conversation after Peterson's office made the mysterious deaths of two inmates at the jail earlier that year public.[41][42] According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Clarke also attracted attention for temper-related incidents: "He once berated a 911 dispatcher for not being professional, threatened to arrest the new House of Correction chief and called a sergeant a 'terrorist' and 'cancer' in a two-hour, expletive-filled rant".[42]
Death of Terrill Thomas[edit]
The Milwaukee County Jail turned the water off to inmate Terrill Thomas' cell, resulting in his death by dehydration on April 24, 2016. According to inmates, the water was turned off for six days and the staff refused to provide water to Thomas. On September 15, 2016, the Milwaukee medical examiner ruled Thomas's death a homicide.[43] Later that day Clarke's office sent out a press release which stated it would be "withholding employee internal investigations and will not be commenting on this matter until the completion of all [sic] investigative and review processes, and any resultant civil litigation."[44][45] Asked about the lawsuit in March 2017, Clarke said that he had no comment on the lawsuit but noted Thomas' criminal background.[46]
In May 2017, after hearing six days of testimony at an inquest, a Milwaukee County jury found probable cause that seven jail employees (two supervisors, five officers) had committed a crimespecifically, abuse of a resident of a penal facilityand recommended that charges be brought.[47]
lots more https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Clarke_(sheriff)#House_of_Correction_and_detainee_abuse_controversies