News - Harrison County jail trial

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007

Jury has jail trial case

HATTIESBURG -- U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. set a 1:30 p.m. start time today for jury deliberations after attorneys in the trial of two former Harrison County jailers gave passionate pleas to convict them or find them not guilty.

Attorneys representing Ryan Teel and Rick Gaston both said jurors must find reasonable doubt and find their clients not guilty of conspiring to abuse inmates.

Said Jim Davis, Teel's attorney, "What proof does the government have other than gossip and idle talk between various deputies?

"Videotape played in court don't show everything," Davis said, "which points to reasonable doubt."

John Weber, lead attorney for Gaston's defense, said he is a scapegoat for jail administrators and former jailers who have pleaded guilty in the investigation into jailhouse abuse.

"The payment for jailers with pleas is freedom," Weber said, pointing to the possibility of reduced prison time. Weber said Gaston was undermined by his own officers who lied to him through false reports.

Federal trial attorney John Cotton Richmond said, "The only verdict that common sense dictates is guilty on all five counts."

Richmond placed a poster of the alleged victims' pictures in front of the jury as he delivered his first 45 minutes of arguments. Because the burden of proof is on the government, Richmond received an additional 30 minutes to speak after the attorneys for Teel and Gaston.

There are officers who uphold the honor of the badge they wear, Richmond said. These officers did not. "These officers brought disgrace upon themselves."

Richmond said officers were out of control in a sadistic world of their own, as shown by witness testimony and the videotape.

The Sun Herald is in Hattiesburg covering the trial and provides updates online and in Friday's editions.