Sherman McGee
Memorial for Sherman McGee
By Matthew Milbourn
Sherman McGee was incarcerated in the same 8-man cube as me at what’s called the “new” Kinross Prison in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Sherman “Mac” McGee (also known as “Tank” sometimes) was a good guy. He studied the Bible a lot, worked out some, stayed out of trouble. Mac was from Bay City, MI. He was around my age (64).
He really made big changes to his life in prison. Tried to help others change, too. Christians called him brother McGee — active in prison church, Protestant beliefs. Always on top of his yard crew clerk job — was a clerk in prison church at a former facility: Most of this from a young man he mentored. I saw him, on many occasions, go out and shovel snow — even though he was clerk — working overtime (voluntarily). He also worked out a lot in weight pit, and was in pretty good shape.
He died from coronavirus (or complications due to underlying conditions — he had asthma). He contracted the virus shortly after I did last fall (probably from me) which is very unfortunate due to the MDOC’s handling of the whole pandemic.
Here is some background. This facility (KCF) Kinross Correctional Facility, Kincheloe, MI, is a level-2 security (level-1 being lowest). It is pole barn type constructions that were built back in the 90’s as “temporary” prisons — but state budgets being what they are — didn’t stay temporary very long. These 4 buildings have 2 units each. They house 240 total people in each building. Each unit is also divided in half, with 10 8-man cubes on each side for 160 beds (when originally built these were 4-man, 6-man, now 8-man cubes). Each cube has 4 bunk beds, 4 lockers, 1 table, 8 chairs, all in about a 20x14 cube. So you don’t get 6 ft of separation — lucky to get 3 ft. (Never was MI able to give 6 ft of separation in any bunking area, in any prison, except those with 1-man cells — which are few).
My job was cleaning the unit officers restroom that’s shared by 4 unit officers, 2 prisoner counselors, and sometimes yard officers. I had bleach, gloves, and a mask. No other PPE or any way to keep me from bringing germs back to the cube. I know for sure this is where I caught the virus — but proving it is another thing.
This facility (KCF) was the last facility in our state to contract the virus, and it didn’t help that incarcerated people were moved into the facility from other facilities that had the virus — shortly after I started having symptoms. Once we were tested it had spread thru-out. So those of us (or some) with pre-existing conditions were taken to Macomb Correction Facility (MRF) near Saginaw/Flint area — due to no hospitals in U.P. to handle the numbers. (Sherman wasn’t moved at this time — although he probably should have been).
Within a few days after I arrived at MRF, Sherman was brought there — a couple of days later he was rushed to the hospital — where he died.
I myself was very sick — but didn’t need hospitalizing. It took me 40 days to get well — I’m fine — but saddened by the loss of Sherman (which I feel some responsibility for).
From Matthew’s June 2 letter:
“I know nothing else I can remember about Sherman “Mac” McGee (also known as “Tank” sometimes). He worked at KCF as a clerk for yard crew. Mac was from Bay City, MI. He really made big changes to his life in prison. Tried to help others change, too. Christians called him brother McGee — active in prison church, Protestant beliefs. Always on top of his yard crew clerk job — was a clerk in prison church at a former facility: Most of this from a young man he mentored. I saw him, on many occasions, go out and shovel snow — even though he was clerk — working overtime (voluntarily). He was my age (64) — I believe. He also worked out a lot in weight pit, and was in pretty good shape. He did have asthma (like me) and maybe other underlying precursors.”