Milwaukee County Jail occupant's death ruled accidental: sheriff
Milwaukee County Jail
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office announced a man's in-custody death earlier this year has been ruled accidental, related to an injury sustained before he was taken into custody.
The backstory:
The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department investigated the death of 49-year-old Joseph Boivin, a Shorewood man who had been booked into the Milwaukee County Jail in March.
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MCSO said the man experienced a "health crisis" at the jail. Stabilization measures were unsuccessful, and he was taken to a hospital where he later died.
What they're saying:
The sheriff's office said a letter, authored by Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern, stated:
"The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be a brain bleed caused by a blunt force head injury sustained before his arrest on March 15, 2025. The date of this injury was believed to be March 11, 2025. The final manner of death was determined to be accidental."
MCSO said the letter went onto say that Waukesha County investigators "found no basis for criminal liability on the part of any employee working in the Milwaukee County Jail."
"While we appreciate that the WCSO investigation concluded that Mr. Boivin’s death was not caused by criminal actions of any MCSO employee, this is not an occasion to celebrate," said Sheriff Denita Ball. "A man died, and we offer our condolences to his loved ones."
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The Source: The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office released information about the investigation, which referenced the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department actions and a letter from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.