GREENFIELD, Wis. — Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services Division has taken responsibility for failing to notify the district attorney's office that a man accused of murder was released back into the community.
Amando Lang, who was charged with fatally stabbing Ben Christianson in Greenfield in 2019, had been living in a Milwaukee group home for two years without the knowledge of prosecutors or police.
Watch: Milwaukee County agency admits failure to notify DA about alleged killer's release
Lang was previously ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and was sent to Mendota Mental Health Institute. Neither the district attorney's office nor Greenfield Police were aware of his release until officers responded to a mental health crisis involving Lang at his mother's apartment on Father's Day.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Kathleen Vincent confirmed the county's Behavioral Health Services Division failed to make the required notification.
"I think it's really important that they know that there are people looking for answers," Vincent said. "They should not have been blindsided by this. It was traumatic enough the first time it happened, but for them to be hearing this kind of news is disheartening."
Vincent explained that if the division had properly notified the DA's office when Lang was released, prosecutors could have called an emergency hearing to reevaluate Lang's competency.
Instead, that hearing had to wait until two days ago. If Lang is ruled mentally competent, the DA's office could proceed with prosecuting the first-degree intentional homicide charge against him.
The victim's family was also not informed about Lang's release until police encountered him last week.
The County's Department of Health and Human Services says it will work closely with the DA's office to ensure these notifications are made in the future, as required by state law. The district attorney's office declined to comment on this development.
The County Executive's Office provided TMJ4 with the following statement:
“The County Executive’s Office is in communication with Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services (BHS) on this matter. We’ve been informed BHS is working closely with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office to ensure these notices are made in the future, as required by State law. Our team will continue looking into this in the days ahead. The County Executive’s main priority is public safety, so the office is taking this matter seriously and will take appropriate action if needed.”
On Thursday, TMJ4 learned that Vincent has formally requested an audit of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, citing concerns over a breakdown in communication protocols.
In a letter addressed to Director Folliard, Vincent expressed “significant concerns about public safety, interagency coordination, and the integrity of the systems we rely on to manage sensitive and high-risk transitions.”
According to the letter, the requested audit would be specifically focused on the communication protocols and procedures in place for individuals who are returned to the community following placement at a state institute as a result of being found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
Vincent added that an audit would help them better understand current practices, identify any systemic gaps, and recommend improvements to ensure accurate, timely and complete information-sharing between all relevant parties.
You can read Vincent’s full statement below:
"Dear Director Folliard, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to formally request an audit of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, specifically focused on the communication protocols and procedures in place for individuals who are returned to the community following placement at a state institute as a result of being found Not Guilty by Reason of Mental Disease or Defect (NGI). This request is prompted by a recent incident brought to my attention in which a step was reportedly missed in the notification process—resulting in the District Attorney’s Office not being informed that an individual was released into the community. This lapse raises significant concerns about public safety, interagency coordination, and the integrity of the systems we rely on to manage sensitive and high-risk transitions. I am deeply concerned about the implications of such communication failures and want to ensure that safeguards are in place to prevent similar situations in the future. An audit would help us better understand current practices, identify any systemic gaps, and recommend improvements to ensure accurate, timely, and complete information-sharing between all relevant parties. Please let me know what steps are required to initiate this process, and do not hesitate to reach out if additional context or information is needed from my office. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued commitment to accountability and transparency in Milwaukee County government."
This story was reported on-air by Ben Jordan and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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