REAL TIME

Does Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. owe the public some answers?

Ernst-Ulrich Franzen
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The picture emerging from an inquest into the death of Terrill Thomas in the Milwaukee County Jail last year isn’t pretty. One expert witness used the word “inhumane” to describe the treatment of Thomas, who died of dehydration after his access to water was cut off for several days. There are allegations that jail personnel did not take seriously the investigation into his death and allowed a critical piece of videotape to be erased.
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., who has been known to spout off on all kinds of issues, has been unusually quiet about Thomas’ death and the other three deaths that occurred last year in the jail he oversees.We think he owes the public an accounting. Regardless of the inquest’s findings, he needs to tell the public what happened and why it happened?

RELATED: 3 Milwaukee County Jail staffers point fingers at others in dehydration death

RELATED: Inmate's dehydration death came after litany of errors, policy violations, ex-2nd-in-command says

RELATED: Jail commander grilled over dehydration death

RELATED: Prosecutors say inmate's water cut off for 7 days before his death

RELATED: Sheriffs split on how to investigate jail deaths

Let us know what you think. Does the sheriff owe the public an explanation?

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