Racine County Jail attack; inmate off life support, family seeks justice
RACINE, Wis. - A Racine County Jail inmate is officially off of life support after his family donated his organs on Sunday, Jan. 5, and said their goodbyes.
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said the victim, 35-year-old Joseph Lee, was pronounced dead on New Year's Day. Now, his family says they are fighting for justice and transparency.
Kenosha County investigators on Friday recommended a charge of first-degree intentional homicide for the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Davonte Carraway.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
"I’m his mother, I’m not supposed to be burying him," Lee’s mother, Glora Dugar, said. "It wasn’t right, it’s not right."
Investigators said Carraway attacked Lee while in the Racine County Jail's day room on Tuesday afternoon. Shortly after, a correctional officer finished a safety and security check. It was only on the next security check that the correctional officer found the victim and then began lifesaving attempts.
"I can’t do it," Lee’s oldest brother, Carl Grayson, said.
Although the words are hard to express, the message is clear.
Joseph Lee
"I just need justice to happen," Lee’s brother Terrance Grayson said. "I got to console my mother, I got to hold her through this."
The Racine County Sheriff's Office said the attack lasted less than a minute and no other inmates activated emergency buttons. But Lee's family said the correctional officers should have been more vigilant.
Racine County Jail attack, intentional homicide charge recommended
A Racine man jailed in a pending attempted homicide case is now suspected of attacking a fellow inmate on Dec. 31, leaving the victim on life support.
Lee's family's attorney said the attack left him brain-dead in the hospital.
"They deserve to know what happened, how it happened," attorney B’Ivory LaMarr said. "This is not about pushing a button or the failure to push a button by inmates, you are paid to do a job and we are here today because you failed to do so."
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
Carl Grayson and B’Ivory LaMarr
The Racine County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to FOX6 News for comment.
Attorneys don't believe there was a relationship between Lee and Carraway.
LaMarr said the next steps would be to file open records requests to try to obtain more information on what happened, and said he would ask the Racine County Sheriff's Office to reach out to them to set up some sort of meeting with the family.