A jail supervisor allowed white supremacist inmates to attack Black ones, feds say
A former supervisory corrections officer facilitated the white supremacist attack on Black inmates in an Oklahoma jail, federal officials say.
Matthew Ware, 53, was convicted on April 14 of three “deprivations of rights under color of law” violations by a federal jury in connection with the assault and other abuse at Kay County Detention Center, according to court records.
Ware is accused of ordering corrections officers to move two Black pretrial detainees to a cell row that was used to house white supremacist inmates on May 18, 2017, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma. Officials say the lieutenant knew the white inmates “posed a danger” to the Black ones.
Later that day, authorities say Ware then ordered the lower-ranking officers to unlock the cells of the Black inmates and the white supremacists at the same time the next morning.
Neither the Kay County Detention Center nor the defense attorney representing Ware immediately responded to a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 15.
The corrections officers followed Ware’s orders, officials say, and the Black inmates were attacked by the white supremacist inmates.
Both Black inmates were injured, and one needed seven stitches to close a wound on his face, according to the news release.
In a second incident of abuse, authorities say Ware ordered an officer to restrain a detainee “in a stretched-out position” after the inmate sent Ware a note criticizing how he was running the detention center.
The inmate was injured as he was left restrained for 90 minutes with each hand tied to the far sides of a bench, officials said.
“This high-ranking corrections official had a duty to ensure that the civil rights of pretrial detainees in his custody were not violated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a news release. “The defendant abused his power and authority by ordering subordinate corrections officers to violate the constitutional rights of several pretrial detainees. The Civil Rights Division will continue to hold corrections officials accountable when they violate the civil rights of detainees and inmates.”
With this conviction, Ware faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and up to $750,000 in fines.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in about three months.
“The preservation of civil rights and the investigation of color of law violations are of utmost priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Ed Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office in the release. “If we don’t hold our very own law enforcement officials accountable, those sworn to protect and serve, what hope will the American people have? Mr. Ware’s actions were impermissible and undignified, particularly given his leadership role. His conviction is a prompt reminder that no one is above the law.”
Kay County Detention Center is in Newkirk, about 120 miles north of Oklahoma City.
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