2 jail staffers charged in inmate death resign
Third is likely to be fired; all face felony count
Less than a week after prosecutors charged three jail staffers in connection with the dehydration death of an inmate, two of the staffers have resigned and another will likely be fired.
Sheriff ’s Maj. Nancy Evans, 48, was charged with felony misconduct in office and obstructing an officer. Jail Lt. Kashka Meadors, 40, and correctional officer James Ramsey-Guy, 38, were each charged with neglecting an inmate, a felony offense.
Milwaukee County Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt said Evans and Meadors resigned this week while the Milwaukee County Sheriff ’s Office Internal Affairs Division completed its investigation.
“Had they not resigned, my recommendation to the Personnel Review Board would have been termination based upon the results of our internal investigation,” Schmidt said Friday.
Ramsey-Guy has not resigned, and Schmidt said he is recommending the board fire Ramsey-Guy based upon the internal investigation.
Terrill Thomas, a 38year-old inmate with bipolar disorder, went seven days without water in solitary confinement before his death in April 2016 at the Milwaukee County Jail. He lost 34 pounds in his eight days in the jail.
Meadors gave the order to shut off the water, Ramsey-Guy physically cut all water to Thomas’ cell and Evans lied about the subsequent investigation, according to a criminal complaint.
The three defendants are expected back in court March 2 for a preliminary hearing.
In 2016, Evans was paid about $93,000 while Meadors and RamseyGuy received about $62,000 and $48,000, respectively, according to salary data maintained by the Journal Sentinel. County officials said they are not eligible for normal county pension retirement benefits.
Last year, an inquest jury recommended charges against those three jail staffers, along with four others.
District Attorney John Chisholm said he does not expect the other four to be charged.
Chisholm said his office is still investigating the role of medical provider Armor Correctional Health Services in the dehydration death.
During the inquest last spring, Meadors testified she ordered Ramsey-Guy to cut off the water going to Thomas’ toilet in his new cell after he flooded a previous cell.
Meadors said she meant for the shutoff order to stay in effect only until Thomas settled down. She later said she only meant that toilet water should be shut off.
She said officers told her the water situation was resolved before she left for the day.
“I was under the impression that it was taken care of, and as well, I briefed my supervisor,” Meadors said at the inquest.
Ramsey-Guy testified he only shut off Thomas’ cold water and left on the hot water — even though investigators found the entire water system off.
Ramsey-Guy said he expected another officer on the jail wing to document the shutoff.
The practice of cutting off water to an inmate is against the jail’s written regulations, but Ramsey-Guy said it was common practice, according to the criminal complaint.
Within three weeks of Thomas’ death, water was cut to two other inmates’ cells, the complaint says.
Thomas was taken to the jail after his arrest in April 2016 at the Potawatomi casino. He ran into the casino yelling and ordering patrons to “get out,” before firing two rounds and stuffing poker chips into his pockets, according to police.
Confronted by officers, Thomas dropped the Glock 9mm handgun into a trash can and was arrested. His family said they believe he was having a psychotic episode.
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation exposed details of Thomas’ death, including incomplete investigative work by the Milwaukee Police Department, which had neglected to interview fellow inmates who witnessed Thomas’ death. Detectives interviewed additional witnesses once the Journal Sentinel reported the lapses.
Since Thomas’ death, seven inmates have died in the jail, three between August and December 2017. The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department is investigating those three most recent deaths.