Wisconsin Man Convicted of Hate Crime Murder and Attempted Murder in Prison

Joshua Scolman, a 40-year-old man, was found guilty of a hate crime homicide in the 2022 murder of 25-year-old Timothy Nabors Jr. at the Green Bay Correctional Institution in Wisconsin. Scolman was also convicted of attempting to kill a second prisoner, Lamonte Washington, 26, with a dangerous weapon and as a hate crime. The jury returned the verdict in less than 15 minutes.

Evidence presented at trial included a letter written by Scolman containing racial slurs and antisemitic language, in which he admitted to choosing to attack Nabors and Washington because they were Black, due to their race. "I picked Washington and Nabors to go after first because they were the two biggest Blacks in the room," Scolman wrote in the letter.

Scolman has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and a second phase of the trial will determine if he is criminally responsible for the homicide and attempted homicide. If found criminally responsible, both homicide counts carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, and the hate crime modifier can increase the sentence by up to five years and the fine by up to $5,000.

At the time of the murder, Scolman was already serving a 51-year prison sentence for a 2006 drunken driving crash that killed three people and seriously injured a fourth. The jury will now determine if Scolman's mental state at the time of the killing absolves him of criminal responsibility or if he should face the full consequences of his actions.

Why this matters: This case highlights the ongoing issue of hate crimes and violence within the prison system. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of mental health treatment and assessment for incarcerated individuals with a history of violent behavior.

Prosecutors argued that Scolman's actions were motivated by racial hatred and presented the letter as key evidence of his intent. "The attack was callous and solely based on the color of their skin," said Assistant District Attorney Caleb Saunders in his closing argument. The swift verdict sends a clear message that hate crimes will not be tolerated, even within the confines of a correctional facility.

Key Takeaways

• Joshua Scolman convicted of hate crime homicide, attempted homicide
• Scolman admitted to targeting Black prisoners due to their race
• Scolman entered plea of not guilty by reason of insanity
• Scolman was serving 51-year sentence for 2006 DUI crash
• Case highlights hate crimes, mental health issues in prisons