Posted by Jonathan Adler:
Jesse Lee Williams Case Update:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2006_08_06-2006_08_12.shtml#1155052247
The Sun-Herald reports more details on the plea agreement Regina
Rhodes made with federal prosecutors concerning her role in the
beating death of Jesse Lee Williams, Jr. while he was in the custody
of the Harrison County, Mississippi sherriff's department.
Regina Lynn Rhodes, 29, faces up to 13 years in a federal prison
and a $500,000 fine for violating the civil rights of Jessie Lee
Williams Jr. under color of law and withholding information. She
will be sentenced Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Louis
Guirola Jr.
Rhodes pleaded guilty Monday, admitting she injured Williams on
Feb. 4 with repeated blows to his neck, back and legs while he was
restrained in the jail booking room.
Her admission of guilt came through a plea agreement, read in
court, which also states she failed to mention the use of
unnecessary force in a report the next day and then lied to state
and federal investigators during interviews on Feb. 8 and June 19.
Rhodes was fired, her resignation effective April 11.
The plea agreement, dated July 26, documents Rhodes' claim that an
unnamed deputy in a supervisory position and other corrections
officers "regularly encouraged other corrections officers" to
assault inmates "in circumstances that did not justify use of
force." The agreement also claims the jailers "submitted false,
incomplete and misleading jail reports" to cover up the incidents
and that while Rhodes was aware of their actions, she failed to
report them.
A copy of the plea agreement is available [1]here.
References
1. http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/15225539.htm
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