Five Correctional Officers Plead Guilty to Beating of Inmate in Mental Health Ward

Five former correctional officers pleaded guilty “to using unlawful force on an inmate and then conspiring to cover up the incident”.

While serving with the Tennessee Department of Correction, correctional officers entered the cell of “an inmate in the mental health unit”, and proceeded “to cover the surveillance camera in the cell”. At the time, the inmate was seated in the cell and “did not pose a threat” to the officers. One officer then punched him in retaliation for “spitting earlier”. The officer admitted to punching the inmate in the neck, face, back, and chest “around 30 times”, causing visible injury and bleeding for the inmate.

The officers then conspired with a supervisory officer to say the “injuries were self-inflicted”.

Sentencing will take place next January, where maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment for the physical assault and 5 years imprisonment for the cover-up conspiracy.