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.”
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“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.
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“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.”
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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.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers and Wisconsin Badgers will meet this Saturday at Memorial Stadium in a game that’s more than just a rivalry—it’s about survival. Both teams are on the brink of bowl eligibility, and this Big Ten showdown will put everything on the line.
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Braedyn Locke #18 of the Wisconsin Badgers during the game against the Oregon Ducks at Camp Randall Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Braedyn Locke #18 of the Wisconsin Badgers during the game against the Oregon Ducks at Camp Randall Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
How to Watch Wisconsin vs Nebraska:
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Time: 3:30 PM ET
Channel: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
When Nebraska joined the Big Ten, fans were ready for a fresh slate of rivalries. Enter Wisconsin. Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, the rivalry has been a lopsided affair, with the Badgers owning the series for a full decade. But if there was ever a time for Nebraska to flip the script, it’s now, with bowl eligibility and bragging rights hanging in the balance.
The Cornhuskers enter this game with a chance to rewrite history. They’ve been inconsistent in conference play, but playing at home gives them an edge. If Nebraska can control the clock, limit turnovers, and capitalize on Wisconsin’s mistakes, they might finally snap the streak.
The Badgers aren’t just fighting for bowl eligibility, they’re fighting to remind Nebraska who’s boss. Wisconsin has leaned on a strong ground game and tough defense in recent years, and they’ll need that formula again to quiet the Lincoln crowd.
This will be a great rivalry game on Saturday, so make sure to tune in.
WATCH: Wisconsin vs Nebraska live on fuboTV for free
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Wisconsin volleyball ‘dominated by joy’ in sweep of No. 3 Penn State
Sarah Franklin, Anna Smrek and Caroline Crawford spoke to the media following the Badgers’ sweep of Penn State Saturday at the UW Field House.
The Wisconsin vs Nebraska doubleheader ends with volleyball taking center stage Saturday night.
After the Badgers-Cornhuskers football teams do battle in the afternoon at Memorial Stadium, the highly ranked volleyball teams square off down the road on campus in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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And it doesn’t get any bigger in women’s volleyball than Wisconsin and Nebraska. The Big Ten rivals and national powers will meet for a second time this season with a lot at stake.
Wisconsin (21-5, 15-2 Big Ten), ranked sixth in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 poll, will look to exact some revenge after Nebraska swept the Badgers earlier this month in Madison. It was Wisconsin’s first and only home loss of the season. A win will also keep the Badgers’ Big Ten title hopes alive.
Nebraska (27-1, 17-0) is on a march toward perfection in the Big Ten and another conference championship. The Cornhuskers, ranked No. 2 nationally, haven’t lost at home this season and are poised for a top seed again in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Here’s how to watch Wisconsin vs Nebraska, part II.
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Wisconsin volleyball vs Nebraska time today
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23
Time: 7 p.m.
What channel is Wisconsin volleyball vs Nebraska on today? TV, live stream
How can I listen to Wisconsin volleyball vs Nebraska on the radio?
Wisconsin vs Nebraska volleyball prediction
As winners of its last six matches, Wisconsin has found its groove. The Badgers showed their fight in rallying for a wild five-set win over Minnesota earlier this week and before that gave Penn State its first Big Ten loss of the season last Saturday.
Can UW now give Nebraska its first conference loss? The Cornhuskers might just be too good in 2024 and will avoid the upset. Nebraska has won 24 straight matches since its lone defeat on Sept. 3, and with another victory it’ll get closer to a second straight Big Ten championship. Few Big Ten teams have even come close to beating Nebraska this season. The Cornhuskers have 13 sweeps in their 17 conference victories.
One of those 3-0 match wins came against Wisconsin three weeks ago. Kelly Sheffield’s team won’t be swept again, but the Cornhuskers will outlast the Badgers in a hard-fought five-set match before a sold-out crowd at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Wisconsin volleyball schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m. CT, vs. Ohio State
Saturday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m. CT, vs. Michigan State
After its showdown against Nebraska, the Badgers return home for their final two matches of the regular season. And Wisconsin will be the heavy favorite against both Ohio State and Michigan State, two teams well under .500 in the Big Ten. Fans will get to see seniors Carly Anderson, CC Crawford, Devyn Robinson, Sarah Franklin, Anna Smrek and Julia Orzol play at the UW Field House one last time before the NCAA Tournament.
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