A correctional officer at a state prison will not face criminal charges after an investigation by the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office determined he acted within the state’s use-of-force guidelines.
The incident took place at Phillps State Prison in July, Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said in a news release Friday. The investigation began after the DA’s office learned about a leaked video that showed a physical fight between the officer and an inmate. In the course of the fight, the officer punched the inmate multiple times.
“The investigation encompassed a review of all videos, including the prison footage which recorded the entire event, investigative interviews, touring the facility, and meeting with officials,” Austin-Gatson said.
A video clip released by the DA’s office shows the incident as filmed by a surveillance camera at the Gwinnett prison. The inmate can be seen pushing the correctional officer, swinging at him and struggling after he is restrained. The officer appears to hit the inmate while trying to subdue him.
“We do find that the incident, as it played out, was profoundly regrettable,” Austin-Gatson said. “However, the correctional officer was within use-of-force guidelines. As a community, it is critical that persons who are incarcerated are treated humanely.”
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