Jury Recommends Charges Against 7 In Milwaukee Jail Dehydration Death

A jury has recommended criminal charges against seven Milwaukee County jail staffers over the dehydration death of an inmate who went seven days without water.

The jury’s recommendation Monday comes after a six-day inquest that included testimony from jail staff and evidence from county prosecutors on the events leading up to Terrill Thomas’ death April 24, 2016. The jury found probable cause to believe the staffers committed the crime of abuse of a resident of a penal facility in Thomas’ death.

They recommended charges against two jail supervisors and five correctional officers.

It’s up to prosecutors whether to file charges. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said he had no timeline to decide on charges, and that he could charge more people — or fewer.

The district attorney’s office wrapped up its inquest Monday.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said he respects the legal process but otherwise is declining to comment on the jury’s recommendation. Clarke oversees the jail, but the inquest did not target him. He has repeatedly declined to comment on Thomas’ death aside from highlighting the inmate’s criminal record.

In a statement on the department’s Facebook page, Clarke said, “There will be no speculation of what will happen until it happens.”

Chisholm told jurors that jail staffers had many “missed opportunities” to help Thomas during the seven days the 38-year-old spent alone in his cell with his water shut off.

Milwaukee’s medical examiner ruled Thomas died of “profound dehydration.”

Attorney Mark Thomsen represents one of Thomas‘ children in a separate civil lawsuit that’s been filed.

“Anybody that sat through and listened to this evidence knows that this should not happen in America, and should not happen in our county and city,” Thomsen said.

Chisholm said he’ll take some time before announcing whether he’ll follow the jury recommendations.

Prosecutors say the sheriff’s office continued using water deprivation as a form of punishment at its jail even after Thomas’ death.

Sheriff’s officials have said Thomas’ water was shut off after he stuffed a mattress in a toilet to flood his previous cell.

Thomas’ death was one of four at the jail last year but the only one where charges are being considered.

The inquest highlighted errors surrounding Thomas’ death, including the failure to log that his water had been turned off.

Editor’s Note: This story was last updated at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday, May 2 to include comments from Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.