Investigators revisiting case of man who died while in police custody

MILWAUKEE -- FOX6 News has learned the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office will revisit the case of a man who died while in police custody.

Last year, Milwaukee police say they chased a robbery suspect wearing a mask near Center and Holton. The officers took 22-year-old Derek Williams into custody and placed him inside their squad car. That's when police say the man passed out in the back seat, and was not breathing.

Officers and firefighters tried reviving Williams but were unsuccessful.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner ruled Williams' death was caused by Sickle Cell Anemia. However, FOX6 News has learned investigators are reopening this case because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident.

The officers that took part in the arrest have not been charged in connection with the death.

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn released a statement on the reopening of this case, saying: "My office has been advised that the Medical Examiner is reviewing, for a second time, the report of his deputy. This second report contains no information that was not in the first report, nor does it present any new objective facts. Therefore, I have no reason to believe that the previously released report of the District Attorney that found there was no police misconduct is not still conclusive."

 

FOX6 News spoke with Williams' mother when the incident occurred, who raised questions regarding Williams' death.

"They were trying to revive him for a full hour and couldn't wake him back up. He complained about not being able to breathe and all of that, and I want an investigation because I feel he was not done right. If he died of natural causes, they wouldn't have had no 20-40 police officers out here," Sandra Moore said.

FOX6 News spoke exclusively with Moore after it was learned the DA will re-visit the case.

"Every day I wake up, I just want justice done, because I know my son didn't deserve to die like that. They think what they did was okay. No, it wasn't. They wouldn't want to get taken away from their kids. Now they can see what I feel. If justice gets served right, they're gonna feel how I feel," Moore said.

Moore told FOX6 News in her mind, there was more to Williams' death than Sickle cell.

"Because he had the Sickle cell trait. -- he didn't have the full-blown disease. He was healthy. He played basketball and he did everything like a normal person," Moore said.

Moore said she sees the revisiting of the investigation a new chance for justice.

"It's not justifiable, and I hope they never justify that they have the right to do that to my kid," Moore said.

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.