By Kathryn Merck
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RACINE, Wisconsin (WDJT) — The loved ones of Joseph Lee, the man whose family tells CBS 58 he died after an assault at the Racine County Jail, held a vigil on Sunday, Jan. 5 to remember him.
Police say on Dec. 31st, Racine County Jail Inmate Davonte Carraway assaulted inmate Joseph Lee inside the jail’s dayroom. The Racine County Sheriff’s Office says prior to the assault, a corrections officer completed a safety and security check in the room and supervised inmates on the same wing.
The assault left Lee brain dead. He was taken off life support by his family Sunday.
Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr, who is representing the victim’s family, is calling for more transparency and a video release as their firm conducts an independent investigation.
“What we don’t know is how long it took the deputies and the correctional officers to respond to this altercation,” said LaMarr. “That’s the most concerning part at this point.”
LaMarr joined Lee’s family at the vigil on Sunday. Lee’s loved ones also expressed concern over reports that Lee was placed upside down naked in a garbage can for a prolonged period following the assault, as well as the classification and housing of the suspect charged in the assault.
“I gotta console my mother. I gotta hold her through this. I watched my brother deceased in a hospital for 4 days on account of negligence,” Terrance Grayson, Joseph Lee’s brother said at the vigil.
Court records show Carraway has an open attempted homicide case. LaMarr claims Carraway is suspected of additional violent episodes with inmates and should have been housed in a manner to reduce risks to other inmates like Lee.
Lee was in the Racine County Jail facing felony drug charges.
“He might have had a bad track record, but that don’t mean nothing.,” said Alyssa Sura, the mother of 3 out of Joseph Lee’s 6 children. “My children don’t have a father no more because of everybody’s actions in this jail.”
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and submitted one count of first-degree intentional homicide against Carraway to the Racine County District Attorneys’ Office.
CBS 58 reached out to both the Kenosha and Racine County Sherriff’s office about these allegations and are waiting to hear back.
Lamarr hasn’t taken any legal action yet, but says his firm is investigating.
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