Armor Correctional convicted, Terrill Thomas jail death

MILWAUKEE - Armor Correctional Health Services, Inc. was convicted on all counts Tuesday, Oct. 11 in the 2016 Milwaukee County Jail death of Terrill Thomas.

Thomas, 38, was jailed in connection with a shooting inside the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in April 2016. He faced felony charges in the case, but on April 24, 2016, he was found dead from dehydration inside his cell after spending a week without water -- his death ruled a homicide.

The investigation revealed that multiple former employees of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office violated jail policies and procedures, including by turning off the water to Thomas’ cell, failing to log that his water was turned off and failing to preserve surveillance video from several days when these acts occurred. 

Three Milwaukee County Jail staffers were convicted in connection with Thomas' death. Nancy Evans pleaded no contest to a felony charge of misconduct in office. She was sentenced to serve nine months in the House of Correction. Kashka Meadors pleaded no contest to a felony charge of abuse of resident of a penal facility. She was sentenced to serve 60 days in the House of Correction. James Ramsey-Guy pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer. He was sentenced to serve 30 days in the House of Correction.

Now, Armor Correctional, contracted to provide medical care for inmates in the Milwaukee County Jail at the time of Thomas' death, faces sentencing Nov. 16 after a jury convicted the corporate defendant on all counts.

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The investigation into Thomas' death further revealed that multiple employees of Armor Correctional failed in their duties to provide medical care for others held in custody. 

Prosecutors said those employees neglected Thomas by not providing appropriate medical care to him and by trying to hide that fact by falsifying his medical records so it appeared the care was provided. No less than three other prisoners’ medical records were falsified by Armor.

Armor was convicted of seven counts of intentionally falsifying medical records and one count of abuse or neglect of a resident of a penal Institution. 

"It is extremely rare to prosecute a corporation, however, such a prosecution is justified in particularly egregious circumstances," said Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm in a statement. "Based on the nature and seriousness of the offenses, including the risk of harm to members of the Milwaukee County community, the pervasiveness of wrongdoing within the corporation and Armor Correctional’s history of similar misconduct, including prior civil and regulatory enforcement actions against Armor, it was appropriate and necessary to hold the corporation itself accountable. Armor Correctional was contracted by Milwaukee County to provide medical care for these members of the community. Armor Correctional betrayed the trust of the people of Milwaukee County by not only not neglecting Mr. Thomas and others but also, by attempting to hide the neglect by falsifying the medical records."

In 2019, Milwaukee County paid nearly $7 million to settle a lawsuit from Thomas' family, his death described as torture. The settlement included $6.75 million in all -- $5 million from Milwaukee County and $1.75 million from Armor Correctional Health Services.