This post originally appeared at https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/milwaukee-jail-inmates-riot/

Democratic/Socialist state Representative Ryan Clancy outrageously called a Milwaukee jail inmate riot a “peaceful occupation,” and said the accused killer/attempted killer, rapists and other inmates had a “need for civil disobedience,” even though four Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department staff members were injured in the incident

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office has charged 27 defendants with crimes for taking over the jail “library” area in a pod because they didn’t get enough gym time, saying they barricaded themselves inside, threatened officers, and refused to come out, an incident that occurred on August 12 but somehow never hit the media until now.

Although the accused rioters include inmates in jail on very serious offenses, including felony murder, attempted murder and child rape, Democratic/Socialist Rep. Ryan Clancy apparently thinks we should feel sorry for them, in part because they aren’t getting free phone calls or paid more inside the jail, per a press release he whipped out.

The rioting incident escalated over the span of almost two hours, with the inmates covering their faces, putting paper over the door windows and flooding the library room by damaging a sprinkler, before they were subdued with pepper spray, a criminal complaint says. A press release from the Sheriff’s Department states that “the barricade was preceded by the occupants in question collectively expressing dissatisfaction with their gymnasium time coming to an end and expressing that, generally, they wanted more ‘open’ recreational time.”

Four staff members were injured in the incident, according to the criminal complaint obtained by Wisconsin Right Now on August 31. You can read the complaint in full here.

Despite the fact that four staff members were injured with one being taken to the hospital, Democratic/Socialist state Rep. Ryan Clancy, also a county board member, labeled the riot a “peaceful occupation of a library” that resulted in “beatings” in a news release. Clancy referred to the rioting inmates as “people in our care.” He admitted that a deputy was bruised.

The criminal complaint says an inmate, unidentified, turned toward an officer with a closed fist so the deputy delivered multiple baton strikes to the lower part of his body and ordered the inmate to stop resisting, during the out-of-control incident, the complaint said.

The Sheriff’s Department’s release says: “Each occupant was medically examined and then placed back into cells in a housing unit. One officer was transported to an area hospital for treatment of an injury sustained in this incident. Three other officers were treated on site.”

Clancy has already earned national news attention for his virulent anti-police comments. In Facebook comments first reported by Wisconsin Right Now, which received media attention on Fox News and in other outlets, Clancy proclaimed that police officers “may be perfectly fine individuals, but their jobs have neither dignity nor value.” He also accused sheriff’s deputies of trying to “cosplay as first responders” in other comments.

Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball slammed Clancy for his anti-law enforcement comments. “Time and time again, year after year, Supervisor Clancy has proudly proclaimed his contempt for the vital work of law enforcement, even while serving as the chair of the Judiciary, Law Enforcement and General Services Committee,” she said in a separate news release. “It is disturbing that a government leader entrusted with this role is using it to attack the profession that keeps our community safe.”

Clancy’s statement continued to blame the Sheriff’s Department for the riot, which he dubbed “civil disobedience” due to “horrific conditions in the jail,” listing banned visitation and charging families “high rates” for phone calls, as well as not giving inmates higher pay for providing meals and laundry. He also said people are locked in cells for up to 23 hours a day and there were six jail deaths in the last 14 months.

We’ve learned that one of those deaths was of a retired Milwaukee police officer, Steve Mahnke, who died August 13 while in jail for failure to support. However, he died in the hospital and was suffering from “several chronic illnesses,” and died after suffering “heightened symptoms that appeared to be related to his chronic conditions,” a sheriff’s release says. The medical examiner’s report for Mahnke has a nondisclosure on it.

In one jail death case, a correctional officer was charged with misconduct in public office, and a recent jail report cited ongoing overpopulation and staffing problems in the jail, the latter deriving in part from low pay for correctional officers. The Sheriff’s budget, of which CO pay is a part, is set by the County Executive and County Board on which Clancy serves. According to WTMJa, of the 13 people who have died in the jail since 2018, however, six died of suicide and seven from “pre-existing conditions.”

Way back in 2021, we reported on the severe staffing challenges in the jail, which were leading to arrested people being held in city police districts. In addition, because of massive unresolved court backlogs, the jail has a large number of homicide defendants who are awaiting trial.

According to the complaint, the 27 defendants were charged with obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. We have asked the Sheriff’s Department why the public wasn’t alerted to the riot at the time.

According to the complaint, Pod 6C is an area where inmates are held on open criminal cases, awaiting either future court dates or transportation to other institutions. There are two levels of cells in the pod with two staircases connecting the first and second levels. The first level contains a correctional officer’s desk, as well as chairs and tables for use by inmates, the complaint says.

The second level contains another common room known as the “library.” It’s located at the top of one of the staircases and has a door for access and glass windows that look out into the pod, the complaint says. There are multiple surveillance cameras, which cover the common areas of the pod, except the interior of the library and other areas on the 6th floor of the criminal Justice Facility.

On Saturday, August 12, 2023, the 27 inmates were housed in Pod 6C. There were 34 other inmates who did not participate in the incident.

A correctional officer said he was working in the jail when the 27 defendants barricaded themselves inside the Pod 6C library, closed the door, and refused to come out, the complaint says.

The complaint further alleged:

The inmates had barricaded themselves in the Library and had put paper over the windows. They were ignoring commands from staff.

A full facility lockdown was ordered and the Jail Correctional Emergency Response Team was notified. Jail staff continued to negotiate with the barricaded inmates in an attempt to get them to leave the library and return to their cells voluntarily and peacefully, but none of the barricaded inmates complied, despite continuing commands from correctional officers and sheriff’s deputies.

Included in those attempting to negotiate were Lieutenant Noel Ybarra and facility Director Joshua Briggs. The barricaded inmates refused all commands, refused to open the door, refused to uncover the windows, and threatened jail staff, the complaint said.

None of the barricading inmates exited the Library in compliance with the orders and negotiations, including after orders from correctional officers and sheriff’s deputies, the complaint said.

The incident started at 1 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., pepper spray was sprayed underneath the door. The inmates failed to comply and responded by damaging the sprinkler head system inside the library causing water to flood the room, the complaint says.

At 2:45 p.m., the director ordered the barricaded inmates removed, and a deputy punched a hole in the window to the library and sprayed OC spray into the library while giving them commands. They were secured, it says.

A table was pushed against the door and the barricaded inmates were wearing coverings over their faces, the complaint says.

Four responding staff members suffered injuries as part of the extraction, the complaint says.

A correctional officer was taken to the hospital for treatment for a soft-tissue injury, it says.

One officer and deputies were treated for exposure to OC spray.

“Kudos are due to the responding officers for their professionalism and efforts to resolve the situation with minimal disruption to the operations of the MCJ and the lives and wellbeing of occupants and jail staff alike,” the Sheriff’s Department’s press release says. “Jails, generally, can be difficult settings for both workers and occupants. It is important for the safety of all
that order is maintained.”

The inmates are (with the charges they were in jail for when the riot occurred, if known):
Steven A. Bailey
Christian J. Cardona
Gerry Lewis Carroll, accused of first-degree sexual assault with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, second-degree sexual assault of a child
Jakobie M. Davis
Darryl E. Dent
Marland D. Edwards, accused of second-degree sexual assault
Kentreal T. Evans, accused of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and a slew of other charges
Demetrius Jamal Exum
Fredrick Andrae Germone II
Marqwell Demetri Good, accused of discharging a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm
Lawrence Griffin
Devonta Rashad Grover
Rickey Jerome Harris III
Francisco J. Herrera, accused of felony murder
Larry Jermaine Jackson
Ronnie Jackson Jr.
Cortez Antonio Jones
Kendray E. Lewis
Lorenzo Carveyea Lyons
Jordan Alan Mayrand
Sir Bishup Pirtle
Marquan S. Roy
Alan Anthony Smith
Edward Darell Tyler
Isaiah J. Wheeler
Shaun Antonio White
Andre Labron Williams