Homicide Charge Recommended in Beating Death at Racine Jail

Racine County Jail. Photo from Racine County.

A man housed in Racine County Jail awaiting trial for attempted homicide is expected to be charged with the beating death of a fellow inmate this week.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, which is investigating the incident, said the assault happened Tuesday. According to a statement from the department, the victim of the assault was pronounced dead on New Year’s Day.

Although the sheriff’s department is not naming the victim, the man’s attorney Jamie McClendon identified him in an email to WPR Thursday as 35-year-old Joseph Lee.

The Kenosha Sheriff’s Department states that it is recommending a charge of first-degree intentional homicide to the Racine County District Attorney’s Office.

The statement identified the suspect as Davonte M. Carraway. Carraway, 29, has been in custody and awaiting trial on an attempted homicide charge for a shooting that occurred in 2022.

On Thursday, the Racine County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement saying the assault happened in a day room at the jail.

“Prior to the assault, a corrections officer, following protocol, completed a safety and security check for the dayroom where the assault occurred,” the statement said.

The correctional officer, who was also not named in the statement, “continued to supervise inmates on the same wing when the perpetrator attacked the victim.”

“During the next safety and security check, the correctional officer located the unresponsive victim and initiated lifesaving measures,” the statement said.

According to the Racine Sheriff’s Department, the assault lasted less than one minute, according to a check of the security cameras in the facility.

“All the emergency buttons in every cell were functional but were not activated by any of the inmates who witnessed the assault,” the Racine statement said.

Homicide charge recommended in beating death at Racine County Jail was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.