DOJ ought to examine beatings at Georgia jail, legal professional says

SAVANNAH, Ga. — An legal professional for 2 males whose beatings by guards have been recorded by safety cameras at a county jail in Georgia referred to as Wednesday for the U.S. Justice Department to analyze what he referred to as a systemic sample of sheriff’s officers abusing detainees.

“They are beating people indiscriminately inside this jail,” civil rights legal professional Harry Daniels advised reporters at a information convention outdoors the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, about 95 miles (152 kilometers) south of Savannah.

Daniels represents Jarrett Hobbs, a 41-year-old Black man booked into the Camden County jail for a site visitors violation and drug possession prices on Sept. 3. Security cameras recorded jailers dashing to Hobbs’ cell and repeatedly punching him earlier than hurling him in opposition to a wall.

On March 24, video from a digicam within the jail’s lunchroom confirmed 23-year-old Zyaire Ratliff, a Black man detained for violating his probation and failing to seem in courtroom, being shoved to the ground by a deputy who then crouched over him and landed a number of punches earlier than being pulled off by one other guard.

“It’s a place where they make their own rules and whatever they say goes,” stated Ratliff, who can also be represented by Daniels and appeared with him on the livestreamed information convention. “If you don’t do what they want, this is the type of thing that will happen.”

Three white deputies accused of punching Hobbs have been arrested and fired final fall. On May 18, a grand jury indicted them on misdemeanor prices of battery and felony prices of violating their oaths of workplace. The Black deputy recorded punching Ratliff was additionally fired and arrested on the identical prices.

Daniels and Timothy Bessent, president of the Camden County NAACP, stated extra must be completed as a result of these two instances weren’t remoted.

“We’re asking again that the Department of Justice come in and look into this department,” Bessent stated, including: “It’s time to hold someone accountable.”

A Justice Department spokeswoman, Aryele Bradford, stated the division had no remark.

Capt. Larry Bruce, a spokesman for Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor, stated all jail workers have not too long ago undergone further coaching in deescalation methods. He blamed the violence in opposition to Hobbs and Ratliff on youthful, inexperienced jail staff.

“The sheriff has always been open for any government agency to come in and inspect or investigate,” Bruce stated. “That includes any federal agency or state agency.”

Daniels and Bessent additionally cited a lawsuit filed final yr in federal courtroom by Adam Drummond, who says Camden County jailers violated his civil rights after they beat him bloody throughout a strip search in January 2021. Drummond, who’s white, was being booked on a drunken driving cost.

A choose dismissed Drummond’s claims in opposition to the sheriff and jail administrator, however dominated his claims in opposition to the jailers who strip-searched him have enough authorized standing to maneuver ahead.