HATTIESBURG -- Jessie Lee Williams Jr. did not lunge at the Harrison County jail booking officer who kicked him, but raised his arm to fend off the blow and fell over, according to testimony from former members of the booking-room "brotherhood" and a different camera angle of the videotaped fatal beating.
In an intense day of testimony in federal court Friday, witnesses including former jailer Regina Lynn Rhodes revealed new information the federal government plans to use to prove its conspiracy case of jailhouse abuse. The accusations are civil rights violations, a federal crime, involving unjustified force that injured inmates and resulted in Williams' death.
On trial are Ryan Michael Teel, a former officer in charge of the booking room, and James Ricky "Rick" Gaston, former captain in charge of booking and inmate records. Eight former jailers, including Rhodes, have pleaded guilty to related charges.
U.S. District Court Judge Louis Guirola Jr. is presiding.
The officers who conspired to deprive inmates' rights under color of law were an "extremely tight" group who taunted, threatened and intentionally injured inmates regardless of whether they were restrained and or a threat to anyone, Rhodes testified.
And that, she said, included Williams.
The videotaped beating of Williams was made public at trial this week; but a recording shown Friday came from a different camera. Both show Williams with hands cuffed behind his back and, according to testimony, complying with Teel's order to remove his shoes. They also show Teel with one leg thrust back for a forceful kick that struck Williams' chest or stomach.
But in the second recording, it appears Williams tried to deflect the blow and fell over, with Teel grabbing him and the two beginning to tussle. The first tape raised questions that Williams lunged at Teel in response to the punt-style kick.
Deputy Sheriff William Correa, a patrolman who was in the booking area, said Williams was no threat to anyone and was trying to deflect the kick that began the melee.
Correa said he later overheard Teel, Rhodes and then-officer Morgan Thompson working on their use-of-force narrative report. Correa said he overheard Teel say, "We have to write this up the right way." Correa said he believed that meant to write the report in their favor, falsely.
Rhodes told the court she taunted Williams and that she and Teel bickered with Williams with a string of profanity before and after the series of assaults began. She also echoed other witnesses who said Teel threatened several times to kill Williams.
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@