Milwaukee County Jail inmates barricade selves in library, 27 charged
MILWAUKEE - Twenty-seven Milwaukee County Jail inmates are now charged after authorities say they barricaded themselves inside a library on Aug. 12.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged all 27 men with obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct.
Some of the men made their initial court appearances Friday. Those who appeared pleaded not guilty and were given $1,000 signature bonds; they remain jailed on bond in other open cases.
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A statement from the sheriff's office Thursday, Aug. 31 said the inmates voiced dissatisfaction with gym time coming to an end and a desire for more "open" recreational time before barricading themselves inside the library.
The jail was put on lockdown as the "mass refusal" took place, according to the sheriff's office. The inmates remained barricaded in the library for over an hour as an emergency response team tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with them. During those negotiations, the sheriff's office said jail staff received verbal threats.
Milwaukee County Jail
Officials got into the library after nearly two hours. The emergency response team used pepper spray and broke a window to get into the library.
Each of the 27 inmates were medically examined and put back into cells, the sheriff's office said. One officer was taken to a hospital for treatment of an injury, and three other officers were treated at the jail.
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One of the men charged is 39-year-old Steven Bailey.
"I feel like the system is really terrible in there," said his mother, Denise Guy. "You're still a person, you're still a human being, and you should be treated better than what they are being treated."
Bailey has been locked up since his March arrest. He is charged with raping a child several times over several days.
Top Row, L-R: Steven Bailey, Christian Cardona, Gerry Carroll, Jakobie Davis, Darryl Dent, Marland Edwards, Kentreal Evans, Demetrius Exum, Andrae Frederick | Middle Row, L-R: Marqwell Good, Lawrence Griffin, Devonta Grover, Rickey Harris III, Franci
- Steven Bailey
- Christian Cardona
- Gerry Carroll
- Jakobie Davis
- Darryl Dent
- Marland Edwards
- Kentreal Evans
- Demetrius Exum
- Andrae Frederick
- Marqwell Good
- Lawrence Griffin
- Devonta Grover
- Rickey Harris III
- Francisco Herrera
- Larry Jackson
- Ronnie Jackson
- Cortez Jones
- Kendray Lewis
- Lorenzo Lyons
- Jordan Mayrand
- Sir Pirtle
- Marquan Roy
- Alan Smith
- Edward Tyler
- Isaiah Wheeler
- Shaun White
- Andre Williams
Officials react
Milwaukee County Supervisor Ryan Clancy said in a statement Thursday that the incident was preventable, adding: "Civil disobedience is an understandable response to the horrific conditions in the jail which have been ignored or deliberately created by the sheriff’s office for years."
In response, Sheriff Denita Ball put out a statement: "Our office has worked at great length with the Office of Corporation Counsel to prepare a report that fully complies with the county board resolution. It is abundantly clear that Supervisor Clancy does not intend to engage with this report in good faith."
A recent report from the sheriff’s office highlighted jail overpopulation and staffing problems. Six people have died in custody over the past 14 months – some from illness, others suicide.
FOX6 reached out to the sheriff's office regarding allegations, but did not hear back by Friday's deadline. Clancy said the recent review of the jail will be heard by a county committee later this month.
Statements
Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
"Yesterday, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression was made aware about charges against 27 individuals housed inside the Milwaukee County Jail. These charges pertain to an incident of civil disobedience that occurred on August 12th. During this incident, the 27 inmates occupied the library inside the County Jail. As with other incidents inside the County Jail, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has not been transparent with the public.
"The conditions inside the Milwaukee County Jail and the MCSO are fully responsible for both the incident on August 12th and the 6 in-custody deaths that have occurred in the last 14 months. When the people who are supposed to be in the care of the MCSO witness several deaths, are restrained to 23-hour lockdowns, are forced to pay high rates for phone and video calls, are crammed into small quarters amidst COVID outbreaks, and are denied visitations, they will resort to these kinds of actions.
"We already know the MCSO and Sheriff Denita Ball will use this incident as an opportunity to seek greater funding for their already bloated budget. The disastrous conditions inside the County Jail are not the result of staffing issues or a budgetary shortage. These conditions are due to years of neglect, mismanagement, and ineptitude from the MCSO and the various sheriffs who have refused to hold themselves accountable.
"Instead of Sheriff Ball’s pleas for more funding, the people of Milwaukee County deserve greater transparency and accountability. Since the MCSO has proven that they cannot hold themselves accountable, we must search for alternative methods of governance that could ensure transparency and accountability. The Milwaukee Alliance demands the creation of a Civilian Accountability Council with the power to hold the MCSO accountable, manage the MCSO budget, review policies and procedures, and enact reforms that will improve the conditions of the Milwaukee County Jail.
"Without proper accountability, there will be more incidents and deaths inside the County Jail. The deplorable conditions in the County Jail must end, and they must end now!"