{"id":1314933,"date":"2026-03-07T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/?p=1314933"},"modified":"2026-03-06T15:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T21:43:15","slug":"milwaukee-county-brady-list-police-officers-integrity-dishonesty-issues-defense-attorneys-wisconsin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2026\/03\/milwaukee-county-brady-list-police-officers-integrity-dishonesty-issues-defense-attorneys-wisconsin\/","title":{"rendered":"Milwaukee County\u2019s list of officers with integrity issues became public. What\u2019s happened since?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/b><\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

Credibility is central to the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is telling the truth? Who do jurors and judges believe? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A year ago, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 News and Wisconsin Watch published the Milwaukee County district attorney’s list of law enforcement officers with integrity violations, allegations of dishonesty or bias, and past criminal charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the first time the full list had been made public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors must share information about witness credibility, including that of police officers, with defense attorneys. Then the attorneys decide if they want to try to raise those credibility concerns in court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often called the “Brady\/Giglio list<\/a>” because of landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases, the list is meant to help ensure people get a fair trial and prevent wrongful convictions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the list was published last year, local defense attorneys say they\u2019ve noticed prosecutors giving more frequent Brady notifications. But they argue that Milwaukee County\u2019s criteria of what gets an officer on the list remains too narrow \u2013 excluding officers who should qualify \u2013 and that there is still too much inconsistency among county prosecutors about when and how they share Brady material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

District Attorney Kent Lovern said his office has always fulfilled its legal and ethical obligations, but he acknowledged making changes to improve the list\u2019s accuracy. The most significant was appointing two executive staff members to help maintain the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first list his office released to reporters in September 2024 had inaccurate, incomplete and outdated information<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some examples: an officer wrongly described as involved in a custody death, another listed for a criminal case that had been expunged, and others listed with the wrong agency. A handful of officers were deceased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new list<\/a>, released in October 2025, did not have those kinds of problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe put more eyes on the list that were beyond my two eyes,\u201d Lovern said, adding: \u201cWe think that’s enhanced, at least, the information, making it as current as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n