Officers Accused Of Assaulting Jail Inmates
1 Officer Charged With Battery Against Pregnant Woman
POSTED: 4:44 pm EDT October 3,
2008UPDATED: 7:01 pm EDT October 3,
2008JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two Duval County corrections officers were arrested after authorities said they assaulted inmates at the jail.The
alleged incidents occurred on separate occasions, but are similar in
that both officers have been accused of abusing their authority by
using excessive force.The officer most recently charged is
39-year-old Lonnie Richard Snodgrass, who is accused of battery against
a pregnant woman, which is a second-degree felony.Investigator s
said the incident took place in early August. That's when, according to
a police report, an inmate told police Snodgrass "came from inside the
control room ... grabbed her by the shirt ... pushed her with force
onto the elevator causing her to strike her stomach against the back
rail."The report states witnesses said they heard a loud "thud.""The
officer that was inside the glassed-in room left the room, went
outside, placed hands on this female, and then physically threw her in
the elevator," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Frank
Mackesy.The second incident also took place in August.Officer
Felipe Garcia is accused of using a Taser gun to threaten an inmate
before hitting him. A police report states a lieutenant walked by a
holding cell and saw as "Officer Garcia placed his issued Taser under
the chin of (the inmate) before yelling, ''I will taze you
(expletive). '"The officer then slapped the inmate across the face, according to the police report."This
is the kind of the part of the job that we don't like but we're
committed to it because when your loved one gets put in that jail or is
arrested by officer on the street, you need to have confidence that
they're going to be treated in a professional manner," Mackesy said.Both
officers are also accused of lying on forms they filled out after the
incidents and both face an additional charge of official misconduct by
a public servant.The undersheriff told Channel 4 that JSO wants it's corrections officers to protect themselves but within the law."It's
not whether or not you use force, because we're in the use of force
business, we have to do it, it's how you use that force. We will stand
behind our employees 100 percent if they do it right and it's
reasonable," Mackasey said.He said both officers voluntarily
asked to be put on a leave of absence without pay. If the officer
acquitted, they could return to their jobs.