HATTIESBURG -- Former Sheriff's Capt. Rick Gaston has taken the witness stand and denied all allegations that he abused inmates or encouraged those who worked under him to do the same.
Gaston said he was hired as chief of security because then-warden Maj. Diane Gatson-Riley "was just an office person." Gaston said that after 1-1/2 years as chief of security, he then began working with bail bonding companies but that only required an hour or two a week of his time in his position at the jail.
He was named booking supervisor in September 2004 and said he began to develop the booking officers to follow in his image as one who sees detainees as being regular people.
"The thing about booking is that it has a totally separate function from the rest of the jail," he said.
Gaston said that while jailers who work in the housing units are there to care for them and maintain safety, booking officers deal with people who are intoxicated, on drugs, sometimes are violent or have mental issues.
"Booking is where it all starts and all ends," he said.
Since Gaston's defense has not rested, the prosecutors have not had a chance to questions those testifying in his favor.
Testimony resumes at 1:30 p.m.
The Sun Herald is in Hattiesburg covering the trial and provides updates throughout the day online and in Thursday's editions.
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