Former Milwaukee County Jail supervisor gets 60 day sentence

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – A former lieutenant with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office will go to jail for her role in the death of an inmate in 2016.

Kashka Meadors, 41, was charged with felony neglect of inmate Terrill Thomas, 38. Meadors, the supervisor on duty, ordered the water in his cell be cut off after he flooded it.

Thomas went seven days without water and died of dehydration. "He died of thirst, a horrible death, really barbaric circumstances," said the assistant district attorney.

Thomas, who was mentally ill, was in jail for firing a gun inside Potawatomi Casino.

However, the prosecution said the water in his cell was never turned back on, and that was a fatal mistake.

In court, Meadors expressed her remorse. "If the family was here, I would like to address them and tell them how sorry I am," she said. "And I do feel bad that this has happened, under my supervision."

Upon the recommendation of the prosecution, Meadors was sentenced to 60 days in the House of Correction with Huber release for job searching.

The defense pushed for probation, but the Judge Joseph Wall said a message has to be sent to others, that the lives of inmates are important.

As for the other two guards charged in Thomas' death, James Ramsey-Guy pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, and a plea hearing and trial is scheduled for Nancy Evans, who was charged with misconduct and obstruction of justice.