A former corrections officer and supervisor at the Atlanta penitentiary was sentenced Monday to one year and eight months in prison for abusing an inmate in front of three other corrections officers, the U.S. Attorney said in a news release.
Gregory McLeod, 44, pleaded guilty to use of excessive force and falsifying documents in November, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Another man, Dwight Hamilton, also pleaded guilty, but details on his sentencing have not been released.
On March 13, 2016, McLeod strip-searched the inmate in front of three other corrections officers, and when the inmate complained, beat him in the face, U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak said. McLeod then lied in an incident report and a separate memorandum, claiming the inmate struck him with a fist and attempted to assault the other officers.
“McLeod broke the law and repeatedly lied about his conduct,” Pak said in a statement. “The men and women who work in prisons and jails have very stressful jobs, but they must adhere to the laws that each has sworn to uphold. At the same time, inmates and detainees in our nation’s prisons and jails have the right to be free from the use of excessive force.”
McLeod will be on three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
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