An inquest jury investigating the dehydration death of Terrill Thomas at the Milwaukee County Jail last year recommended last night that charges be brought against all seven jail employees involved.
The jury found probable cause of a crime in the actions of seven jail officials under a felony statute prohibiting abuse, neglect and ill-treatment of inmates, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The jury did find probable cause that the seven employees—Sheriff’s Maj. Nancy Evans; Jail Lt. Kashka Meadors; and corrections officers James Ramsey-Guy, Thomas Laine, John Weber, Dominique Smith and JorDon Johnson—had all committed a crime.
The decision to move forward now rests with District Attorney John Chisholm who will decide if any criminal charges are warranted in the April 2016 death of Thomas, with bipolar disorder who was deprived of water and a mattress during seven straight days at the Milwaukee County Jail run by Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.
Thomas, 38, started the weeklong stretch at the Milwaukee County Jail belligerent and loud, the result of an untreated mental illness, prosecutors said. But as the days wore on, he grew weak and dehydrated.
Kimberly Perry, mother of Thomas’ son, Terrill Thomas Jr., said the family was overwhelmed by the testimony on the treatment of the elder Thomas.
“The negligence was very rough for me to hear,” she said.
Hank Balson, a lawyer for the Thomas estate, said he expected Chisholm would follow up with charges.
Chisholm told reporters he would give a lot of weight to the inquest verdict but is not bound by it or limited by it, according to the Journal-Sentinel. He could charge more than seven people, none or any number in between.
