Former Oklahoma corrections officer convicted of aiding ‘white supremacist’ attack on black inmates

A former Kay County Oklahoma supervisory corrections officer was convicted by a federal jury in Oklahoma City of violating the civil rights of three pretrial detainees who were being held at the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC).

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Robert Troester of the Western District of Oklahoma.

Matthew Ware, 53-years-old, was convicted by the jury of willfully depriving two of the pretrial detainees of their right to be free from a corrections officer’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm and additionally of willfully depriving a third pretrial detainee of their right to be free from a corrections officer’s use of excessive force.

In 2017, Ware ordered lower-ranking officers to move two black detainees to a cell row that housed “white supremacist” inmates, the release stated. Later that day, the officers were ordered by Ware to unlock the doors to both the jail cells of the detainees and of the white supremacist inmates.

“When Ware’s orders were followed, the white supremacist inmates attacked Wilson and Miller, resulting in physical injury to both, including a facial laceration to Wilson that required seven stitches to close,” the Justice Department said in a release.

Some time after, in 2018, Ware directed an officer to restrain Christopher Davis, another pretrial detainee. Davis was placed in a “stretched-out position,” in which his left wrist was “restrained to the far-left side of the bench” and his right “to the far-right side,” according to the release. Davis was kept in that position for an hour and 30 minutes. He sustained physical injuries as a result.

“This high-ranking corrections official had a duty to ensure that the civil rights of pretrial detainees in his custody were not violated,” commented Clarke.

“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.”

Ware is now facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for each violation, and the sentencing is set to take place in about 3 months.