Former Oklahoma corrections supervisor enabled white supremacists to attack 2 Black inmates, ordered excessive force against 3rd inmate

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A former Kay County Detention Center supervisor was convicted in an Oklahoma City federal court for enabling white supremacist inmates to attack and injure Black inmates, as well as ordering excessive force against an inmate who criticized him.

The jury convicted 53-year-old Matthew Ware of violating the civil rights of three pretrial detainees that were being held at the Detention Center, according to U.S. Department of Justice officials.

Ware placed two pretrial detainees in "substantial risk of serious harm," and ordered a corrections officer to use excessive force against a third pretrial detainee.

“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. “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 was a lieutenant at the Detention Center on May 18, 2017, when he ordered corrections officers serving under him to move two Black pretrial detainees, D’Angelo Wilson and Marcus Miller, to a cell row containing white supremacist inmates whom Ware knew were a danger to Wilson and Miller, according to DOJ officials.

He later that same day ordered detention officers to unlock Wilson's and Miller's jail cells and the white supremacist inmates' cells at the same time the following morning.

With the jail cells unlocked, the white supremacist inmates attacked Wilson and Miller.

Both Wilson and Miller were injured in the attack. Wilson suffered a facial laceration that needed seven stitches to close, DOJ officials said.

Ware also ordered excessive force against pretrial detainee Christopher Davis on Jan. 31, 2018.

DOJ officials said Ware was a captain at the jail when Davis sent him a note criticizing how he ran the jail.

Ware retaliated by ordering a corrections officer to restrain Davis against a bench in a stretched out position, with his left wrist bound to the far-left side of the bench and his right wrist bound to the far-right side of the bench. Davis was left restrained in that position for 90 minutes, which physically injured him, DOJ officials said.

“Criminal conduct by any corrections employee violates the public trust and unfairly tarnishes the reputation of all corrections officials who honorably perform their important work each day,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “This verdict demonstrates our continuing commitment to protect the civil rights of all Oklahomans, including those in custody. I commend the outstanding work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson, who vigorously prosecuted this case, and the FBI Special Agents and other law enforcement officials who conducted this investigation.”

Ware faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000 for each civil rights violation He will be sentenced in approximately 90 days.

The Oklahoma City FBI Field Office investigated Ware's violations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry of the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

“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. “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.”