Guard charged in 2 deaths at Wisconsin prison pleads no contest

A former guard at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), Wisconsin, has become the first of eight prison staffers charged in connection with the deaths of two inmates to resolve their case.

Sarah Ransbottom, who was charged in June for misconduct in office, pleaded no contest last week to a reduced charge of violating a law governing conduct by prison staff, and paid a $250 fine, according to court records.

The charges stem from the deaths of inmates Donald Maier and Cameron Williams.

Both men died during a yearlong lockdown at the prison, located about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northeast of Madison.

WCI has been under scrutiny for alleged mistreatment of inmates and poor conditions, with staff admitting it has struggled with workforce shortages for years.

The deaths of Maier and Williams have fueled mounting criticisms following a class action lawsuit from inmates, filed last year.

They allege they have been denied access to health care among other necessities.

“We are operating the oldest prison in the state of Wisconsin in a dangerous and reckless manner,” said Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt, who led the investigation, at a news conference when the charges were first announced.

Ransbottom, who began working as a guard in 2022, was one of four staff members initially charged with felony misconduct, which could have resulted in a maximum sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

She was accused of falsely signing documents to indicate she had completed her rounds checking on Maier late on the night before his death in February, which was later ruled a homicide.

Maier, 62, was found dead in his cell due to malnutrition and dehydration.

In defense of her conduct, Ransbottom cited staffing shortages, long shifts, and forced overtime, saying that she had been working 16-hour days leading up to the incident, and had not worked in the restrictive housing unit where Maier was held until three days before his death.

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage did not show Ransbottom checking on Maier during the hours before his death, despite her signing off on documents indicating she had.

She acknowledged that she was unable to complete her rounds, as she was providing medical aid to another inmate at the time.

Williams’ death was of a different nature—the 24-year-old died in October 2023 after a blood vessel in his brain burst, resulting in a fatal stroke.

His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year, likening the prison’s inaction to “murder”.

They were unable to see him in the time before his death due to the prison lockdown.

WCI has faced additional controversy due to five inmate deaths since June 2023: two suicides, a fentanyl overdose, Williams’ stroke, and Maier’s death from malnutrition.

The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating a potential contraband smuggling ring.

A Pew Research poll claims the state runs the second-worst prisons in the U.S.

Randall Hepp, the former warden of Waupun, and seven other prison staff members are also facing charges in connection with the deaths.

Ransbottom’s plea to a lesser charge marks the first legal resolution in this case.

“It’s very unsafe to have […] just three officers in there,” she told the Wisconsin State Journal.

“And that’s two doing rounds and one doing all of the observation checks. So if you have 15 guys that are on observation status and you have one officer doing those, it’s nearly impossible. And it’s really impossible to be in two places at once.”

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

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