E-mail Story
Print Friendly
Send E-mail
Reprint story
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Jail Releases 3 Conflict Videos
By T.J. Wilham
Journal Staff Writer
County officials released video tapes Friday of a series of confrontations involving inmates and leaders of the union that represents correctional officers.
Union president Stephen Perkins has been put on administrative leave and vice president Eric Allen has been fired in connection with four encounters with inmates.
Perkins said they did nothing wrong and the jail is retaliating against them for being outspoken against the administration. Jail officials refute those claims.
After previously declining to release the videos, the jail on Friday released copies of three of the incidents. There was no video available of the fourth incident because it occurred in a holding area at the District Courthouse.
Perkins' incidents occurred April 27.
In one of the confrontations, Perkins is seen throwing an inmate, who is cuffed and shackled, to the ground as the inmate lunged toward another inmate. In the second confrontation, Perkins throws a cuffed inmate to the ground just as the inmate apparently tries to reach an exit.
The incidents involving Allen occurred in August 2007 and April 2008.
In the 2007 incident, Allen, who was fired in January, is seen on the video grabbing an unrestrained inmate walking in a line, pushing him against a wall, then throwing him toward the ground.
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
