"I just want to know what happened:" Wife of Milwaukee man who died in custody seeks answers

Jesse Davis

MILWAUKEE -- While mystery still surrounds the death of a man in custody at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, Alonja Davis, the man's wife, says she knows one thing for sure -- her husband, 49-year-old Jesse Davis, was not the man people are portraying him to be. Davis sat down to speak exclusively with FOX6 News on Friday, March 24th.

"He wasn't in his right mind," Davis said.

Alonja Davis attributed her husband's last arrest to health issues.

Jesse Davis

"They stopped him for driving reckless. But his family has a history of nervous breakdown and Jesse was going through one of them and that caused him to drive the way he was driving -- because his mind was not in the right state of mind to even be driving," Davis said.

Davis said she has been trying to speak to authorities to get her husband, Jesse Davis, released.

"I asked them, 'Please don't treating him or putting him in a hold. That would make him worse.' I tried to let him know about their health conditions," Davis said.

Alonja Davis

Alonja Davis said about three weeks ago, Jesse Davis was taken into custody. He died on Tuesday, just two days before Alonja was supposed to visit him at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility.

"I'm not doing so good. I'm doing really bad with the situation," Davis said.

Davis is hurting from the sudden loss -- which their six-year-old son is also taking hard.

"He's been so sad, asking where is his father. Life, it's not fair," Davis said.

Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility

David said what also is not fair is how her husband is being judged because of his record -- and mistakes made when he was younger.

"You should know a person for who they are and now what their past was," Davis said.

Jesse Davis

While unsure of the circumstances, Davis waits for answers surrounding her husband's in-custody death.

"I just want to know what happened down there," Davis said.

Davis remembers a life that should not have been list in a correctional facility.

"Jesse was a humble man. He loved his wife and he loved his son. He worked very hard, loves his family. He loved God and was a man of God," Davis said.

An autopsy was performed on Jesse Davis. But as of now, the results on on non-disclosure.

An internal investigation has begun and the Department of Corrections contacted the Milwaukee Police Department, which is leading the investigation.