An investigation into two recent deaths inside the Racine County Jail continues by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office.
One of those deaths, involving Malcolm James, has his family and attorney say it was the way jail staff interacted with James that caused his death June 1.
In a video statement released Wednesday, Sheriff Christopher Schmaling counters that claim. He says he did not want to release any information to the public until the investigation was completed, but recent comments forced him to change that stance.
“Given the continued advancements of serious misinformation, and completely inaccurate statements,” says Schmaling, “I must now balance the interest of protecting the integrity of the investigations against releasing limited information so that the public has the facts.”
In the video, which lasts several minutes, a body camera from a jail staff member shows the interaction between them and James prior to entering his jail cell. James is seen holding a blanket around his head and body, and repeatedly bouncing his head off the walls of the cell as staff are trying to talk to him.
Schmaling says the video clearly shows James was trying to physically harm himself, adding he was seen by multiple medical and mental health professional, which included two visits to the hospital.
Schmaling adds in the background of the video, staff members were preparing to assist in moving James to get more medical attention. “Once the team entered the cell, Mister James violently fought with jail staff, and they had to use some use of physical force to secure him for medical treatment. What it is true that a Taser was used, the statements made about Tasers causing death are completely false. Medical experts have consistently supported this fact.”
Schmaling says he will share more details about the death once the official investigation is complete.