HATTIESBURG -- Ryan Teel said he never used unnecessary force against any inmate, including Jessie Lee Williams Jr., and maintained he didn't cause the inmate's death.
"I was in fear of my life," the former Harrison County jailer said in testimony before his attorney rested his case and defense testimony began for Teel's co-defendant, former sheriff's Capt. Rick Gaston.
A murmur of "ohs" and "ahs" drifted across the courtroom gallery when attorney Jim Davis announced he was calling Teel as his next witness. In Teel's first statements, he denied knowing about any abuse of inmates or any abuse by Gaston.
Federal trial attorney John Cotton Richmond painted a different picture in cross-examination after U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. agreed to unseal a sworn statement Teel made before the start of trial last week. The affidavit, attached to a motion to sever Teel's prosecution from Gaston's, stated Teel had witnessed "countless" incidents of inmate abuse, including assaults by Gaston.
Richmond verbally painted a picture, describing Williams as 5-feet-6 and 160 pounds, compared with Teel's 6-foot-2 frame and 285 pounds at the time. According to videotapes of the beating, several officers were present at the time of Williams' assault. Several testified they assisted Teel and claimed Teel violated jail policies that prohibit use of force against restrained inmates.
"I never wanted to use force against Mr. Williams," Teel said. "I never wanted to use force against anyone."
Teel never admitted punching Williams repeatedly in the head or forcefully kicking Williams the way witnesses testified he did.
Teel said the kick that began the tussle occurred after Williams refused to keep his hands on the booking counter.
Videotapes from two camera angles show Teel's kick. Teel said the blow didn't land where he planned because he has an ankle injury.
Teel answered remaining questions cautiously but maintained he used only the amount of force needed. He said he felt sorry for Williams' family, but claimed he wasn't responsible for Williams' death.
Teel described the scenario that followed the kick as this: Once Williams was re-cuffed with hands behind his back, Teel hog-tied him and used two different cans of pepper spray - one to douse a spit mask and rub it on Williams' face, the other to spray up the mask toward Williams' chin and nose after the spit mask was placed over his head.
Teel said he used the pepper spray because Williams refused "to give up" one hand to be re-cuffed.
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