Back in July 2011, Derek Williams died in Milwaukee Police Department (“MPD”) custody. Video from the incident shows Mr. Williams in the back of a squad car, struggling to breathe and begging MPD officers to help him. There is now an Inquest into the death of Mr. Williams, which entered its fourth day on Thursday, February 14, 2013. Three MPD Detectives who investigated the incident testified on Thursday that they never viewed the squad car video either as part of their investigation of the incident or prior to preparing their reports. MPD Detective Luke O’Day also changed his story regarding the arrest of Mr. Williams. Initially, Detective O’Day wrote in a report that the MPD Officer Richard Ticcioni ended up on top of Mr. Williams as he was facing down. At the Inquest, Detective O’Day stated that the report was wrong, and that Mr. Williams was facing up. Restraining a suspect in a face down position is against MPD procedures, because it could result in a potentially fatal condition known as positional asphyxia. Detective O’Day stated that his report was wrong due to a transcription error. Read more about the Inquest into Mr. Williams’ death in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel here.
The civil rights lawyers of Samster, Konkel & Safran represent the three young children of Derek Williams and their mother. Please follow this website for continuing updates regarding the Inquest into Mr. Williams’ death.
