A small group of protesters gathered by the Brown County Courthouse late Sunday afternoon, demanding change in Wisconsin’s correctional system.

“I don’t want any other mothers to suffer the way I am,” Kerrie Hirte said. 

Hirte’s daughter, Cilivea Thyrion, died in the Milwaukee County Jail and her death was ruled a suicide, FOX6 News Milwaukee reported. Hirte believes that if her daughter had been in a mental health facility instead of a jail, she would still be alive. 

At the protest, she said that “our jails are breeding grounds for inhumanity, and the conditions inside have amounted to torture and death.”

“Just by me telling me and Cilivea’s story …  and by all of us telling our stories, then the message will spread more,” Hirte told the Examiner. “Because people will begin to understand, they’re not the only ones.”

Groups of protesters demonstrated in Brown, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties on Sunday, according to Dant’e Cottingham, a founding member of the Stop the Torture Coalition who used to be incarcerated in Green Bay Correctional Institution.

“[People] also spoke about how important it is for the [district attorneys] and the judges to be accountable for the sentences that they hand down,” Cottingham said. “Look, we know the judges and the DAs have a job to do. But we also want the judge and the DA to be accountable for keeping our loved one safe no matter if they made a mistake or not.”

The protests come after a Waupun warden and eight others were charged last month with crimes related to the treatment of incarcerated people. Advocates, formerly incarcerated people and former staff testified about problems in the prison system before the Assembly Committee on Corrections on July 9. 

In a letter to the committee, Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Jared Hoy gave examples of operational changes made over the last several months to ensure the safety of staff and incarcerated people, such as enhancing training and frequency of security rounds. He also said the department is in contract negotiations with a consulting and management firm for a third party review. 

“While the past several weeks have been challenging, there have been countless occasions where I am reminded of how our dedicated staff and the individuals in our care remain at the heart of our mission,” Hoy said in the letter.

Jeffrey Watson, who also attended the Brown County protest, said he was previously incarcerated at the Green Bay and Waupun prisons. He hopes the protests raise awareness.

“I left [Waupun] in 2019,” Watson said. “So I know how they deal with mental illness… [with] someone even just calling out for help.”

Hirte called for the closure of the prisons in Green Bay and Waupun. She also advocated for “[confronting] the root causes of mass incarceration” and reducing the prison and jail population so that it becomes unnecessary to build new facilities. 

“[Children with mental illness] should not be put in jails, in prisons, when they can be helped outside, in our communities,” Hirte said. “That only happens if the communities come together and fight for our children.”

Cottingham hopes for protests in all 72 of Wisconsin’s counties. Another protest will take place in the middle of next month. 

“Part of the strategy of the protest is to get statewide and then, ultimately, national attention,” Cottingham said. 

As we roll on with our 2024 Detroit Lions roster preview series, this time our own Meko Scott breaks down second-year quarterback Hendon Hooker over on the Pride of Detroit YouTube channel.

Previous previews: RB David Montgomery, WR Kalif Raymond, TE Sam LaPorta, TE James Mitchell, LT Taylor Decker, RT Penei Sewell, G Kevin Zeitler, C Frank Ragnow, DE Aidan Hutchinson, DE Josh Paschal, DT DJ Reader, DT Alim McNeill, LB Alex Anzalone, DB Brian Branch, S Ifeatu Melifonwu, and DT Levi Onwuzurike.

Hendon Hooker

Headed into the 2024 season, nobody is going to question whether or not the Lions have their starting quarterback figured out. Jared Goff’s performance over the last one-and-a-half seasons have made all of those old questions about his play fade to the point that they are now nothing more than distant memories. However, as football fans, we all understand injuries happen in this sport, and that is a big reason as to why the backup quarterback position has become more vital over the last several years.

With Hooker, the Lions knew they were getting a talented player when they selected him in the third-round of the 2023 NFL Draft. And since Hooker was still recovering from an ACL injury he suffered late in his final college season, he didn’t get any work in during last year’s training camp apart from mental reps. The majority of his rookie season was spent in recovery-mode, making his second year of development with the Lions even more vital.

Our own Meko Scott jumps into all of this and more as he examines the outlook for Hooker this season, and whether or not he believes Hooker is ready to settle in as the backup quarterback for a team that has championship aspirations.

The Milwaukee Public Market was recently voted “Best public market in the nation in USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards” and there are plenty of reasons why that’s true. Brian Kramp is at the Milwaukee Public Market checking out all they have to offcer. 

St. Paul Fish Company is one of only three vendors inside the Milwaukee Public Market that’ve remained since opening in 2005 and they’re still one of the most popular. 

Looking for a sweet treat in downtown Milwaukee? Freese’s Candy will satisfy that sweet tooth with everything from classic favorites to handcrafted delights. 

Sausages are a must in Milwaukee and the team behind Foltz Family Market knows how pack the flavor into their links. 

The Milwaukee Public Market was recently voted “Best public market in the nation in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards” and there’s plenty of reasons why that’s true. 

Need a souvenir from Milwaukee but don’t know where to go? The Public Market is a great place to shop for all things Milwaukee.