5 Georgia Sheriff’s Office employees reassigned to administrative duties amid investigations into the beating of a black man in custody


CNN

Five employees of the Camden County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office were transferred to administrative duty as part of an internal and state investigation into the caning of Jarrett Hobbs, a 41-year-old black man, while he was incarcerated in September, a department spokesman told CNN on Wednesday.

The staff was transferred to administrative duty on Nov. 14 and will serve in a non-law enforcement capacity while the investigation is conducted, spokesman Larry Bruce said. When asked why the staff were transferred to administrative duty more than two months after the incident, Bruce declined to comment.

The employees in question are “young employees” of the department, Bruce told CNN, but gave no additional information.

In a news conference Wednesday, Hobbs’ family and attorney called for the firing and charging of associates involved in his beating, as well as for the Justice Department to investigate the sheriff’s office.

“We stand here with this community, with this family, there’s no way in hell anyone should be hit like this man was hit,” said civil rights attorney Harry Daniels, representing Hobbs. “I don’t care what he did, I don’t care if he smashed down the damn door, you don’t hit a person like that.”

“There was (absolutely) no reasoning, no justification, no reason, no subject to debate, no legal justification to go into that cell with a man sitting there and beat him up,” said Bakari Sellers, another attorney for Hobbs. Sellers is also a CNN contributor.

The sheriff’s office did not comment on calls by Hobbs’ attorneys for the Justice Department to investigate the incident.

Hobbs’ sister, Jai’Vian Thomas, said after the press conference that she wanted the employees fired, arrested and convicted.

“I just want them to be prosecuted and charged so that my brother can have justice,” Thomas said. “We’re just another family, we’re tired of being just another family.”

When asked how Hobbs was doing, Daniels said: “He struggles every day, the thought of what happened to him, you know his physical injuries can heal, but Mr. Hobbs wanted to say to everyone that you are not people treat them with mental illness That’s not how you treat them.”

Hobbs said they plan to file a lawsuit.

Hobbs’ attorneys released two videos of the incident earlier this week and just before Wednesday’s press conference, they released a third video with sound that partially showed the altercation between Hobbs and staff at the county’s detention center. The video appears to be from the detention center’s surveillance system and was obtained through a separate North Carolina court proceeding involving Hobbs.

On Monday, Hobbs’ attorneys released two silent videos of the incident, which also appeared to be from the prison’s surveillance system. The videos showed Hobbs alone in a cell at the detention center. One video shows five employees entering Hobbs’ cell and one grabbing Hobbs by the neck. A fight broke out in the cell. Soon at least four of the employees are seen wrestling with Hobbs, some hitting him on the head.

A second video released by Hobbs Lawyers show Hobbs being pulled out of the cell and staff wrestling him to the ground. The video appears to show at least one employee kicking Hobbs. Four of the five employees appear to be white; the other appears to be black.

Within seconds of the start of the third video, two loud bangs are heard down the prison corridor. An employee who appears to be walking away from Hobbs’ cell turns when the noise is heard and then disappears around the corner near Hobbs’ cell, which cannot be seen in the recording.

Then four employees can be seen walking towards Hobb’s cell. The cell door opens and the staff and Hobbs reappear about 30 seconds later and rush into the hallway. A loud howl can be heard.

Though much of the audio is muffled and indistinguishable, one employee can be heard yelling, “stop resisting.” Hobbs yells, “Man, I’m going to sit down, you guys stop…” as the staff crowd around him, trying to hold him back.

At one point, an employee tells Hobbs to “give us the other hand.”

Hobbs replies, yelling, “How the hell I’m on one leg…”

As the staff worked to restrain Hobbs, one was heard saying, “Let go.” It follows Hobbs and the staff pacing over something in his hand. Hobbs says “it’s paper” just before the staff take control of Hobbs and put him in a restraint chair in his cell.

About eight Minutes later, video shows at least three staff members engaging with Hobbs after removing him from his cell while still restrained in the chair. In the silent video, it appears they are speaking to Hobbs; A staff member checks his restraints before being taken back to the cell.

In a press release issued Monday, Daniels said Hobbs was suffering from a mental health episode and had asked to be placed in protective custody.

In a statement released Monday, the sheriff’s office said that Sheriff Jim Proctor “has ordered an immediate internal investigation into the incident.” This investigation will include all recorded video from the time the inmate entered the facility on September 3, 2022 through his release on September 30, 2022. If deemed necessary, an additional agency will assist with the investigation. ”

“Internal investigations include reviewing videos, interviewing witnesses and documenting recovered evidence, which takes time and will not be completed overnight,” the statement added.

The names of the employees involved were not included.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also announced Tuesday it would conduct an “independent and thorough investigation” into the incident after Keith Higgins, District Attorney for Brunswick Judicial Circuit, requested the agency, the agency said on Twitter.

“Once the investigation is complete, we will turn the file over to the prosecutor’s office at Brunswick Judicial Circuit,” the GBI said.

In a statement to CNN, Higgins said his office asked the GBI to Inquiry into the use of force that took place at the Camden County Safety Complex on September 3, 2022.”

“Upon completion of the investigation, the District Attorney’s Office will review the case file and determine what action should be taken,” the statement said.

Hobbs violated his probation in a federal case outside of North Carolina by being in Georgia, where he was charged with speeding, driving with a revoked or suspended driver’s license and possession of a controlled substance, Daniels said.

In the North Carolina court documents regarding his revocation of parole, his parole officer, FJ Carney, who was not present at the Georgia Detention Center, reported what happened at the Camden County Jail.

“While the defendant was in custody at the CCSO complex in Woodbine, Georgia, prison guards heard a loud bang from the defendant’s holding cell. The defendant reportedly kicked his cell door and was told by prison guards to stop after he had already been warned not to stop,” the court document said.

“Officer Carney testified that the defendant appeared to continue kicking, which resulted in prison guards coming up to him, giving him verbal commands and putting his hands behind his back. However, the defendant allegedly didn’t comply and responded to prison guards by saying, “I don’t give a shit.” After prison guards reportedly continued to give him orders and approach him, the defendant tensed, pulled away, and it came to a physical altercation between the accused and prison guards,” the document continued.

“According to Officer Carney, the defendant defied prison guards and then punched a deputy in the face while punching another deputy in the side of the head. One MP suffered an injured eye and a broken hand as a result of the incident. Officer Carney noted that the report reflected that the defendant was punched in the head by one of the correctional officers, although Officer Carney does not know the exact sequence of events,” it said.

Last week, in a final hearing on Hobbs’ federal parole in North Carolina, the judge revoked his parole but dismissed a violation alleged by Carney related to the arrest and charges of battery, assault and disability of Camden County prison employees. According to federal court records, Hobbs admitted to three other violations for traffic violations, drug possession and failing to inform his probation officer about travel.

When questioned about the case, US Attorneys’ Office spokesman Barry Paschal said the office “is not discussing any active investigations or whether there are any.”

Hobbs remains in custody in North Carolina, his attorney said.