Woman claims Hillsborough jail guard broke her arm

• Video

TAMPA -- A Tampa woman claims a guard roughed her up and broke her arm at the Orient Road Jail.

Charlana Irving, 28, filed an intent to sue the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office in September, alleging that a detention deputy broke her arm in May 2007, according to Irving's attorney, Brandon Kolb, of St. Petersburg.

Irving's allegation marks the third time in 10 days that jail guards have been accused of abusing inmates. First, Brian Sterner, a quadriplegic, claimed a deputy dumped him out of his wheelchair. Next, Marcella Pourmoghani filed a federal suit, alleging a deputy beat her, causing brain injuries. Both incidents were captured on tape by jail cameras. The videos have been shown on national television.

Irving's incident, too, was taped.

Debbie Carter, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, said the agency had not yet reviewed the videotape in Irving's case and had no comment.

Here's what Irving says happened:

Irving, an exotic dancer and waitress, was leaving work early May 9 when deputies pulled her over and accused her of driving drunk. Irving says she had just left work. When she failed a sobriety test, she asked the deputies that a female deputy be called to take her to jail because she was wearing only a slip and a sweater. She said the deputies refused and took her to the Orient Road Jail.

There, she said, she was put in a holding cell in booking and got frustrated about not being allowed to call anyone. She said she tried to pass time by braiding her hair and fashioning flowers out of toilet paper but got frustrated and began knocking on the glass cell door.

She said a deputy yelled at her and came into the cell and told her to put her arms behind her back. Then, she said, she was left alone. She continued to knock on the window.

A deputy then came into her cell again.

"He just rushes into the cell, grabs me by my arm and swings me up against the glass. I said, 'How are you allowed to do this? You're not allowed to beat me up,' " she said. "He said, 'I can do whatever I want.' He twisted my left arm around like twice. He brought his fist up in a 45-degree angle. He brought the entire arm down onto my arm, like a wrestler move or something."

"He then swung me around by that arm," she said. "He started pushing me around. Officers started rushing into the cell. I wasn't resisting or anything. I was just so flabbergasted that I was getting beat up in front of everyone. I was really surprised."

She then was moved to another cell, she said, where she had to pick up her injured arm with her other arm. She figured it had been pulled from its socket. She rocked back and forth, biting the inside of her mouth to distract herself from the pain, she said.

"This pain was horrible," she said. "I picked up my arm and held it up because it was hanging all crazy. It immediately started swelling up. I sat in that cell for like an hour or so."

After that, a jail nurse examined her and put the arm into a sling, she said. In her booking mugshot, Irving wears a sling.

When she was released, jail employees had to cut off her jail jumpsuit because she couldn't lift her arm, she said.

She then went to University Community Hospital, where her arm was X-rayed. She said she was put into another sling. The injury took four months to heal, she said. She said her attorney asked her not to discuss the specifics of the medical attention.

The DUI charge was later reduced to reckless driving. Irving pleaded no contest and got a year of probation. State records show she had one prior arrest, a February 2007 charge of driving without a valid license.

You can read the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrrest report on Irving here.

Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer

Photo: An X-ray of Charlana Irving's broken arm, according to her attorney.

Comments

[gerry]

I expect the prisoners to not be happy and to act up...but,the so-called 'professional' law enforcement personnel... they are'nt a whole lot better Hillsborough or anywhere else!..bunch of egomanics with badges...

[melissa]

It's about time this came out! The abuse that many so called LAW enforcement deal out has gooten WAY out of control. Where do they get these power trippen freaks anyways! And when are they going to take a look at the person that runs the show down there? Obviously someone does not know how to control their personal! I hope the ones involved and the many that have done this type of thing get their JUST punishment! "PROTECT AND SERVE" MY A-- What a joke.. hire some professionals!

[Steve]

Maybe the TV producers of "Jail" could do a special episode on the Orient Road Jail - call it "Jailers Gone Wild".

[Rebekah]

This is really getting ridiculous. Talk about blatant abuse. More charges need to be filed.

[Amy]

It is harder to keep defending police and detention officers and their job. Someone needs to get a handle on these officers and the continued abuse of power and authority. An isololated incident maybe but three in a month. What about the others who have not lawyered up yet. HCSO may want to prepare for a class action suit.

[melissa]

Steve ... It's more like PO PO gone wild is more like it!

[PFG]

PAY UP BIOTCHES!!!! HA HA CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BABY! PAY FOR YOUR ACTIONS!

[ricco]

IT LOOKS LIKE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY IS THE MOTTO OF HILLSBOROUGH JAIL.

THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JAIL GUARD{DENTENTION DEPUTY} AND A DEPUTY SHERIFF ON STREET PATROL....
I THINK THE INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE WORD "DEPUTY" PUTS A BLACK MARK ON THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT PATROL OUR STREETS 24/7. ALSO HOW ABOUT RANDOM BLOOD TEST ON DETENTION DEPUTIES FOR STEROID USE..IT IS SOUNDING MORE AND MORE LIKE "ROID RAGE" AT THE JAIL BY THE GUARDS........IT IS 1960 ALL OVER AGAIN AT THE FLORIDA JAILS{CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS} TIME FOR THE FEDS TO STEP IN IF THE SHERIFF CAN'T REIGN HIS PERSONNEL IN..
SUPERVISION SUPERVISION SHERIFF GEE MUST SHAKE UP SUPERVISION AND HOLD THOSE IN CHARGE JUST AS RESPONSIBLE AS THEIR SUB-ORDINATES.
THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO REGAIN TRUST THE HILLSBOROUGH IS NOT SOME KIND GITMO FACILLITY...TIME FOR A BIG SHAKE-UP!

[John]

Is this a county jail over there or a gulag? These stories are coming out of the woodwork and the HCSO is starting to look more like a terrorist group than a law enforcement group. Somebody get Homeland Security over there and quick.

How can these "professionals" go home, sleep and wakeup in the morning with a clear conscience? I'm beginning to wonder if they are unleashing their traumatic childhoods in the cloak of their sovereign positions. Perhaps the everyday pressures of life is too much (financial problems, marital problems, not enough recognition and praise)?

[melissa]

Can't take the heat then move on! If the police/ guards cannot take the "pressue" FIND ANOTHER JOB! That is a no brainer! Your just as bad as the crimminals you are beating on!

[Debbie]

We don't know all the facts yet, just this woman's word. Interesting that she decided to come forward with her allegations AFTER the Sterner situation hit the national press. Maybe she is trying to draft behind his momentum and get money. Could be that she fought THEM like a wildcat and the effort to restain her caused her SELF-INFLICTED injury. Hmmmmm...

[ricco]

MAYBE THE SUPERVISORS ARE "SLEEPING ON DUTY" AT LEAST THAT WOULD BE AN EXCUSE.
{THEFT OF SERVICE}

ANYONE THAT CALLS THEMSELVES A SUPERVISOR AND ALLOWS BLANTANT BRUTALITY TO GO ON SHOULD RESIGN.

ALSO THERE ARE MANY DETENTION DEPUTIES THAT SLEEP AROUND WITH OTHER MARRIED OR SINGLE DETENTION DEPUTIES.

WELL I REALIZE IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A SUPERVISOR TO TURN IN A DEPUTY THAT IS HIS OR HER "LOVER" AS WELL AS EMPLOYEE IT MUST BE DONE.
REGAIN TRUST NOT BY WORDS BUT BY ACTION .

[Steve]

Debbie - self-inflicted broken arm? LOL. That's funny. I have no doubt she was obnoxious but police deal with obnoxious people all the time. But it is Battery is still a felony in Florida regardless who does it.

[melissa]

Debbie .. look at the pics.. and go back to work at your guard station!

[Steve]

Debbie - self-inflicted broken arm? LOL. That's funny. I have no doubt she was obnoxious but police deal with obnoxious people all the time. But it is Battery is still a felony in Florida regardless who does it.

[Joe in St Pete]

The arm was not in a sling when she was taken in but was when she went out?!?!?! The nurse should have been fired for not reporting, the other officers present fired for not doing /saying anything, and the shift Supervisor along with Sheriff Gee for not having a better idea of what is going on in his jail. Hard to dispute what the video shows happened.

[melissa]

People probably did not come out before because they were afraid or thought nothing would be done about it! Not sure why because if anyone ever layed their hands on me in such a manner they would be in court so fast their head would spin! I hope more of this BS abuse comes out now that people know they really do have rights,jail or not!

[Frank]

Lets look at this incident. By her admittence they had told her once already to stop baning on the glass. You see her turn around and face the corrections deputy, now that not might seem threating but they are trained to take that as a threatning gesture. I think the wheelchair incident could have been handled better, although I dont feel her being charged was correct. The second incident is questionable but more so on the side of the inmate, but this one looks to me as if policy and procedure were handled correctly minus the fact that no medical attention was given for an hour I know most will say the inmate in this incident is tiny but for the most part, women are more violent than men againt LEO's

[amy]

FRANK!!! GET A LIFE AND SHUT UP! DO YOU BEAT ON LITTLE KIDS AND ANIMALS TOO?

[Keith]

Next thing you know, the cameras will be removed from the jail and put out on the street. This way some red-light runners can get the crap beat out them.

[Pal]

Melissa, please stop with the ghetto language. It is 'police' or 'cops' or 'jail guards', not po po. We don't live in slums like you apparently do and don't think hip hop people are anything but trash. Thank you.

[Alexander]

This girl was arrested for prostitution, grand theft, battery and other things; she deserved everything that she got. These kinds of people are a menace to society.

[neil]

The entire Florida correction system must be rotten to the core. Surely these officers realize their actions are being videotaped...then again, there was a video of a group of guards MURDERING Martin Lee Anderson and THEY got away with it so why shouldn't the Hillborough county officers get away with lesser charges? We need to change something.

[Jim]

The funny part is... some people will say anything to defend the police..F.U. Pal and Alexander this is still America. People can talk anyway they want, and just because you have charges doesn't mean the PO-PO can break your arm.

[Simon]

Huckleberry cops. So glad I left. I will never cross the Mason Dixon line again...unless I'm wearing a blue kepi cap and following General Sherman.

[Joe]

The video is clear as day, the woman backs, up with her hands behind her back, and then is acosted by the officer in charge. This is reprehinsible.

[Mike]

Alexander, do you even read the story? She was taken in on a D.U.I. Her only other offense in her whole LIFE was driving without a license. Don't speak, or reproduce for that matter.

[Earl]

This is appalling. I'm a family man and more afraid of violence at the hands of law enforcement than the thugs on the streets. This egregious violence occurs all over the state. The current and former SAG need to admit responsibility and take immediate action. This is what you get when let republicans run things, ala Gitmo and torture in the name of liberty.

What is the policy about taping at the jails? I mean, what is the point if no one looks? If they are looking, how is this allowed to go on with nothing being done?

It's disgusting. People taken to jail are technically innocent a lot of the time. They are innocent until proven guilty. This is how anyone here could be treated.

[fairplay]

unnecessary force

she deserves medical, pain and suffering and should be awarded punitive damages

deputy needs to be punished

jail needs a shakedown of the detention officers from top to bottom

this is outrageous

[BB]

The public will see what they want to see on these videos. No matter if the officers were right or wrong, they will always be in the wrong in most of your eyes.

The bottom line is, if you break the law, get arrestedand go to jail, you better obey the correctional officers or they will use "Legal force" to make you comply. Its that simple.

[Steve]

BB, the bottom line is that battery is a felony.

[fairplay]

unnecessary force

she deserves medical, pain and suffering and should be awarded punitive damages

deputy needs to be punished

jail needs a shakedown of the detention officers from top to bottom

this is outrageous

[detention deputy]

IF YOU ALL CAN DO A BETTER JOB THAN BY ALL MEANS COME TO THE S.O. AND ILL LETYOU WORK FOR A DAY!

[fairplay]

no question, the job is tough but that's no excuse for what we're seeing on tape

[Stephanie]

This isn't just at the jail level. Tampa police are just as bad. My friend filed his intent to sue a while back cause a tampa police officer broke his shoulder while arresting him for "resisting arrest WITHOUT violance"! Then when at the Orient Road Jail, the nurse "checked him" and said he didn't need medical attention. The Leadership needs to resign. The Tampa police chief and the Hillsborough Co. Sheriff. They are instilling into these people a sense of brutality and toughness that is very seldom needed. These public servants need to be taught how to respect people and how to defuse situations before they become a situation. Officer Strom with the Tampa P.D. is cowardly, crazy and shouldn't have his job and most certainly shouldn't be allowed to carry a firearm.

[Marc]

I hear they are putting up a new sign on the front gate that says: "Arbeit Macht Frei". The gas chambers will shop up next week and the ovens will be installed in early March.

[Dan]

There dies not appear to be any attempt to injure this woman. Detention Deputies in a detention facility can touch people against their will and not commit a battery (which is a misdemeanor, not a felony).

In this case it appears the officer was in full control of himself and not going at her maliciously. He was attempting to move her from one room to another because she was being disruptive. He went into the room and tried to take control of her to move her. She pulled away. This required him to use more force to restrain her than she may have liked. Oh well. Don't drive drunk and get arrested.

I am sorry she was injured, and she probably should have been seen by a nurse sooner. However, the article stated even the hospital only put it in a sling. No cast for an injury this "severe"? Seems more than a bit odd to me.

[Marc]

Ah, Dan I hate to disagree, but the officer approached her in a VERY fast and aggressive manner. If I was her, I would have backed off just like she did. Why can't an officer just open the door, and say: Hey, our apologies for taking so long tonight, we are extremely backed up. Why don't you follow me to the next holding cell so we can continue to process you, so we can get you bonded out of here ASAP. Cool?

No, he fracking jumped on her, viciously grabbed her arm, go another officer to grab her as well and proceeded to drag her (mind you without any resistance from her) to the other cell.

That is crazy, sometimes you just have to say PLEASE ... we are all human beings.

Sorry Dan, but you are a jerk. Hope you get to experience what she did one day so you will better understand.

[richard]

the names and pics of all jailhouse scumbag people should be posted on the web just like the victims of jailhouse brutality...i would like to know if one of these a..holes lives in my neighborhood so we could start a petition to have them removed...i dont want one living near me or my children

Ouch! That x-ray looks painful. Self inflicted? Not! Was she doing jumping jacks on her hands with a locomotive tied to her feet?

[richard]

the names pics and addresses of all jailhouse employees involved in this incident should be made availible to the public...they are no better than the citizens they are slamming around...why havnt they been arrested???

The fact of the matter is that if these people hadn't done something wrong in the first place, they would not be in JAIL! Look at some foreign countries that don't put up with the bullsh*t, crime rates are lower, and there is no ACLU complaining about abuse. People be responsible for your actions and maybe you wouldn't be crying for someone doing you wrong.

[bird]

I don't know how the jail employees, deputies, and other law enforcement personnel can put up with the garbage they contend with.

No rational person could watch this video and say the inmate deserved this treatment. If she was guilty of drunken driving, she should've been sentenced to the appropriate amount of jail time. But I'm fairly certain the statute doesn't include "broken arm" among the penalties.

Suspects or inmates who violently resist officers often get injured, and they usually deserve it. But this young lady was no threat to anybody, least of all the deputy who assaulted her. The videotape is indisputable.

As for the folks who are defending the officer: If you had been treated this way, or your daughter or wife, I suspect you'd feel differently.

One other thing: Don't be in such a rush to lump all cops in with this guy, or with the idiot who dumped the handicapped guy out of his wheelchair. I imagine most police officers and deputies are good people; it's a shame when their reputations get tainted by shameful incidents like this one.

[Kyle]

Spam this blog regulator.

[Kyle]

Beat the crap out of criminals, that is what I say. Maybe they find a way to not go to jail. Perhaps they could obey and respect laws like the majority. What a great deterrent to crime- if you get arrested you are going to get your butt kicked. Give these deputies immunity.

[Chris]

GOVERNOR CRIST,

WHERE ARE YOU?

[Truth]

Workers follow the example or tone set by their superiors. This behavior happens because it is tolerated by the Sheriff. If these deputies had any fear whatsoever that they would be punished, this wouldn't happen. Makes you wonder how they treat people off camera. The Sheriff needs to clean house......be be gone himself.

[Gilbert Ford]

Regardless of the outcomes, the HCSO has a Public Relations nightmare on their hands! As a Retired, Military Police and Corrections Officer, I most assuredly would not want to be affiliated with this agency in its present state right now! With that being said, I would caution to examine ALL of the facts first! Often, the video does not reveal/tell the whole truth. However, when you get people under oath and disect what you have (written, visually and verbally) the truth normally surfaces. I am just as appalled as any other taxpayer, but I am patient and I certainly would want to know the facts before I align my thoughts with that of demanding public outrage! Like the person(s) alledging to have been abused, I, too, want answers. Answers that I can sit down and say you have abused your capacity and it is now time to be resolute as to affect a positive outcome for all concerned. That outcome includes the alledged victims, the public, the agency (HCSO) and the future incarcerated persons.

[THEY ARE ALL PUSSIES]

Detention deputy, you are the kind of small / limp d*ck A-h*le that I hope to read about some day being gunned down in an alley way somewhere. It is sissy's like you that make LE look like true idiots. Is your "man hood" or lack there of, so microscopic that you need to prove yourself by throwing a woman around in a cell who was doing nothing physicaly threatening to the pig? Maybe you and this dip sh*t can find a support group for small d*ck A-h*les in your area and talk about how bad-as* you are. I would love an oppertunity to show you first hand what it is like to be manhandled. you f*g*ot!

[richard]

to: detention deputy...do you call what you do work???do you think you have a job???you are a joke...you couldnt handle a job..you dont know the definition of work...go home and slam your wife and kids around...you probly do good at that...

[richard]

i want to see some names and adresses of detention deputies so ill know if its safe for my kids to play outside...i cant aford to pay for toomany brokrn arms...

[mike]

to:they are all pussies...you sound like a ghetto idiot...Your comment sounds like it was written by a young minority boy who has been arrested a few times...

[Lee]

The people who are commenting are hopeless. First, you assume the people in jail did nothing to get in there, they were just cheated. You act as if all people in jail did nothing and are just victims of police desire to arrest.
Also, it is truly scary that you are willing to convict deputies on video alone without any sound. Video is only half the story. The lady was obviously taunting police in jail, knocking constantly on the door. If we could hear what was said, I am sure she was told to stop about 50 times and she did not. Then when the police came in she resisted. He did not twist her arm intentionally to break it, he was trying to subdue her. If she had not resisted, she would not have broken her arm.
If she had simply followed the rule that you do what you are told, she would not have broken her arm. But then she would not have the ability to sue and get free money for anything so I guess she is getting what she wanted. Sad.

[Stephanie]

Don't do the crime and you won't be putting yourself in the position these idiots are in! Driving drunk and taking a chance on killing or i juring someone is WAY WORSE than what these deputies did. I am sure these inmates pushed and pushed until they deserved what they got. The gut in the wheelchair no, that was wrong and they could have checked to see if he was paralyzed. The stripper and the repeat offender TOO BAD.

[Bigz]

Its amazing to me how today in America there is such hate against the people who protect us and risk their lives on a daily basis. You all say your hateful words now, but i am pretty sure that the moment your in danger or in need of some help they will be the first ones there to help you. You get mad when they issue you Traffic Citations, and other small violations. Stop and think for a minute would you, they don't make the Laws, they just enforce them, they are doing their job!! Go hate on Law makers if you want to hate on someone!! All i can say is if any of you have hate towards cops, then that just tells me you break the Laws and are guilty because you wouldn't hate them if you weren't breaking the law. Bottom line is these people are in Jail for a reason and they are scum, if you dealt with these people on a daily basis, you too would be mentally drained and irritated!!

I know she was cut out of the jumpsuit but how didshe get inti it?

[soso]

I have never even had a traffic ticket, and I am extremely unnerved by police officers. Typically uneducated bullies, they seem prey on ALL people. Of course, criminals deserve punishment, but arent we supposed to presume innocence until proven guilty? While I am sure that a few are good and really trying to help, that deoesnt seem to be the norm. I pray that I am never in a situation where I would need to rely on these people who seem to be on a ridiculous authoritative power trip. How sad.

[Angel]

In this country, citizens have rights. These include the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, all the comments about criminals deserving this kind of treatment are moot points. These people were not convicted of a crime at that point, they had merely been arrested. It is not that correctional officer's place to determine that inmate's guilt or innocence, nor is it their place to render a sentence or to carry such a sentence out. Neither is it any of ours unless we are called upon to serve on the jury in that particular case.

Being accused of a crime does not mean you lose your rights upon arrest. "Being violently assaulted in prison is simply not part of the penalty that criminal offenders pay for their offenses against society." See Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 833 (1994). Frankly, I am shocked at the attitudes of those who say these people deserved to be assaulted. Do you also say women who wear short skirts deserve to be sexually assaulted? I wonder if you are just so accustomed to justifying your own questionable actions that it is second nature to justify others'.

If a CO can not control THEMSELVES when faced with a VERBALLY difficult inmate, what kind of example are they setting, firstly, and secondly, how can they control inmates? These people are pissed off and feel they are being treated unfairly to begin with, as a general rule. They are going to be mouthy. But we also have the right to speak freely, and saying something a CO doesn't like, short of making threats that can physically be carried out, does not give that CO the right to physically assault someone.

I have an aunt and uncle who were COs, and a close friend as well. It is a difficult and thankless job. (Much like parenting, actually.) I fully concede that they are in dangerous situations where they are outnumbered. (Hmmm, also much like parenting.) But physical displays of power are inappropriate, and the use of force should be limited to situations in which an inmate is actually dangerous to themselves or others. (Wow, also much like parenting. Don't jerk your kid's arm out of socket just because they spoke snappy to you, but if they are about to step off of a curb in front of a bus, go ahead and yank that arm out of socket if necessary-whatever it takes to save their life.)

The bottom line is this....COs have the right to use force to protect themselves or inmates. They do not have the right to assault inmates because they pissed them off by anything they SAID short of a direct threat that CAN be carried out-by that I mean, for example, an inmate who is restrained shouting threats cannot actually carry out those threats, therefore force is not necessary.

For further reading (You will need Adobe Reader to view: http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upload_file679_25738.pdf

[Bigz]

I agree it is a thankless job, and I never said it is acceptable, and I agree a CO who assaults an inmate for no reason should be punished. I am just saying that in America there is too much hate against the people who take on the challenges and duty that not many people would. At every job or profession you are going to have some crazy and unpredictable employees, but don't start associating all the other employees with that negativity just because of those few crazy ones. They have one of the hardest jobs there is, and it seems we do not appreciate all the positive things they do for people, but blow one incident up like they are the worst people on earth! I agree with detention deputy, try to step in their shoes for a day before you criticize them, and make judgment calls based on one incident.

BTW: Obviously they broke a law, or they wouldn't of been detained, regardless of what the court says. The Judge wasn't at the scene, the Deputy was.

[MJ]

IT IS NOW CLEAR AFTER MULTIPLE VIDEOS THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA NEEDS TO STEP IN TO INVESTIGATE THE JAIL AS AN OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT AGENCY. THE HILLSBOUGH COUNTY SHERIFF HAS TRUELY EMBARRASSED THE TAMPA BAY AREA ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AND MULTIPLE HEADS SHOULD BE CLEARED OUT AND CHARGED.

[Steve]

It's obvious that certain jail guards get their jollies by putting people in cages and throwing their badges around to hurt people.

These people probably have very bad personal lives, and need psychiatric help more than the prisoners a lot of times, (after all, county jail is not usually home to extreme criminals).

I know I'd trust my family around most of the prisoners in Orient Road Jail than I would the jailers.

Those people are sick. Disturbed human beings, who delight in hurting and jailing people. Sad people, indeed.

Never, ever trust a jail cop. They are the worst of the worst.

[Jones]

Cops, as a rule, are bad people. They feel like they need to control what other people do.

They are almost always sad, disturbed human beings.

Run from the police every chance you get; it's the only smart thing to do.

[RETIRED CO]

Most C/O's are dedicated,professional employees.The work is usually not hard,but is very stressful.Most inmates are locked up because they broke the law and deserve to be in jail.Most inmates try to respect C/O's because they know if they want or need something,the CO is the only one they can count on to get it.Overcrowding in the jails is nothing new,but when you have 34 inmates in a pod designed for 16 there is a lot of tension and stress on both sides of the bars.Therefore,there are numerous fights all hours of the day between inmates and the C/O's respond to break it up and the medical dept. bandages them up.I dont see the general public crowding our human resources office asking for job applications!While driving to work you wonder if you will encounter a pissed off inmate whos wife just filed for divorce and has a shank or weapon in his hand threatening to slice you up.Now this is stress!And it happens frequently in overcrowded Hillsborough and Pinellas jails.Most areas of the jail are also understaffed and in the booking/processing area you need to take care of uncooperating inmates quickly so other new intakes don't start acting up.On a rare occasion excessive force is used and that Deputy needs to be dealt with.This by no means should label all C/o's as thugs.I can assure you that more C/O's get assaulted in jails that inmates.I worked in a jail for 25 years and I've seen it all.

I SPENT A NIGHT IN JAIL AND INNOCENT SO KMA ALL YOU MOERONS THAT THINK ITS A REASON FOR SOMEONE TO BE A PUNCHING BAG

Angel, thank you.

It is not obvious that those in jail broke the law. We have a justice system in place for a reason. If it's so obvious, then why the wasted money on courts, attorneys, judges, etc.? There have been cases of innocent people being *convicted* let alone arrested. Does innocent until proven guilty ring any bells? Or should that be thrown out the window? And while we're at it, how about that double jeopardy? Should that go?

Deputies being at the arrest have nothing to do with those at the jail. Those in the jail were not at the arrest.

Physical responses have no place in the face of verbal remarks. None at all. Would it be acceptable if your child got mouthy in school and the teacher used force? Or if someone on the street used force because they were mad?

So what if someone calls you a name? Sticks and stones, right? So what of someone pounds on the glass? If you can't handle *that* what are you going to do in the face of a real emergency? Violence begets violence.

[Roger]

Another proud day for Sheriff Gee and his band of houligans. What an ill trained group of losers he has trained and sworn in as Deputies. If I were a HCSO detention Deputy, I sure as hell wouldn't admit to anyone. Here is another "tough guy" that was successful in brutalizing a woman 1/2 his size. What a hero to his colleagues.I bet he bragged for days about what a good job he did. I bet his colleagues and supervisors are proud of him. I wonder if his kids saw the video, and know what daddy does for a living (brutalizes inmates). I bet they would be proud too. I suppose this is another isolated incident, and of course, the investigation cleared the woman beater of any wrong doing !. That is the problem. When a police agency investigates their own, there is never any wrong doing.....BULL. This creep, and all of his supervisors need to GO. So does Sheriff Gee. he obviously condones this abuse, or he would stop it immediately. The County Commision needs to get rid of him for violation of human/civil rights,poor management / administrative skills, and failure to do his job. If not, the taxpayers need to organize a recall and throw him out. GUARANTEE YOU.....MORE CASES ARE COMING, AND HEADS ARE GOING TO ROLL. GEE SHOULD GO FIRST.

[Roger]

RETIRED....I'LL USE THE "LOT OF STRESS" AS A DEFENSE IF I KICK THE CRAP OUT OF A DEPUTY, IN OR OUT OF CUSTODY. I'LL SAY "YOUR HONOR...I HAVE A LOT OF STRESS IN MY LIFE, MY JOB IS HARD, BILLS ARE PILING UP, THE KIDS ARE A PAIN, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IS MOVING IN, SORRY, I BEAT THE DEPUTY TO A BLOODY PULP AND BROKE SOME BONES BECAUSE OF STRESS! AS THEY TAKE ME FROM THE COURTROOM IN CUFFS, THE BEATINGS OF ME, BY THE DEPUTIES WILL BEGIN.

[Roger]

AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, THE REASON THE DETENTION DEPUTIES ARE SO DESPICABLE IS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE PATROL DEPUTIES, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON COULDN'T MAKE THE "FINAL CUT". NOW, OUT OF FRUSTRATION, THEY BEAT UP INMATES FOR SOME DEMENTED INNER PLEASURE THEY GET. IF YOUR JOB IS TOO STRESSFUL.....QUIT.

[Roger]

BIGZ, THEY ALL HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED. WHY ? IF THESE DEPUTIES WITNESS ABUSES, AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, THEY ARE AS GUILY AS THE ABUSERS. I REST MY CASE !

[Roger]

BIGZ.....THE PATROL DEPUTIES ARE DIFFERENT, MOST ARE RESPECTED. YOU REFER TO THE DETENTION DEPUTIES AS COPS, THEY ARE NOT COPS. THEY ARE CORRECTION OFFICERS. WANNABE COPS. MAKE BELIEVE COPS. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

[Roger]

LEE.....YOU ARE AN IMBECILE....PERIOD !

[Roger]

KYLE.....YOU ARE AN IMBECILE. IF YOUR MOTHER GOT ARRESTED...FOR SAY...KICKING THE CRAP OUT OF A MAGGOT LIKE YOU, WOULD YOU WANT HER ABUSED....NEVER MIND YOU PROBABLY WOULD. YOU ARE THE EXACT SPECIMEN USED TO REENFORCE ROE V WADE !

[Roger]

DAN....THAT TYPE OF INJURY REQUIRES SURGICAL SETTING OF THE BONE. I HAD THE SAME INJURY FROM A FALL 2 STORIES OFF A ROOF.EMERGENCY ROOM STABILIZES YOU, THEN YOU SEE AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON. YOUR OWN.

[Roger]

DEBBIE....YOU ILLITERATE IMBECILE. DID YOU BOTHER TO READ THE STORY, OR JUST START BLOGGING ? DID YOU SEE THE VIDEO ? SHE DIDN'T "FIGHT THEM LIKE A WILDCAT" SHE TOOK A STEP BACKWARDS WHEN THE FAT SLOB DEPUTY CHARGED AT HER. SHE IS NOT "DRAFTING" (WHATEVER THE HELL THAT MEANS), BEHIND STERNER, HER CASE AGAINST THE COUNTY WAS FILED IN 2006.....IDIOT !

[PAL]

Most people don't realize that Fassett's wife is a nurse in the same jail. Convenient, huh? He knocks people around, and she patches them up. How sweet...