GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The mother of a Green Bay Correctional Institution inmate who was murdered, allegedly by his cellmate, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Tuesday blaming prison officials for her son’s death.
Micah Laureano died Aug. 27. Jackson Vogel is charged with first-degree intentional homicide with a hate crime enhancer for allegedly targeting Laureano due to his race and sexual preference.
Vogel returns to court March 17, but no trial date has been set.
The lawsuit field by Phyllis Laureano — Micah’s mother — names Dept. Of Corrections Sec. Jared Hoy, Warden Christopher Stevens and five John Does as defendants.
“Defendants’ willful and deliberate indifference to Mr. Laureano’s safety resulted in him being murdered by his cellmate,” the suit states.
The suit claims the state didn’t follow its procedures, putting Laureano at risk.
Using the plain language in Defendants’ own handbook, GBCI would have been aware of Mr. Vogel’s risk, criminal, and social background, along with determining his proper security classification, even if DCI had not done so. Additionally, GBCI would have been aware of Mr. Laureano’s classification and that he was a vulnerable person,” it states.
The suit asks for unspecified monetary damages. The state has not responded to the lawsuit.
Laureano had 18 months left on a three-year sentence for crimes in Waukesha and Columbia counties that include robbery use of force, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and substantial battery. Vogel is serving a 20-year sentence for trying to kill his mother in Two Rivers when he was 16.
