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A former Henry County Jail corrections officer will receive probation after he pleaded guilty to using excessive force on an inmate during a February 2024 incident at the jail.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Brookman sentenced Curtis Doughty, 28, of Muncie, to two years probation after Doughty pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law.
“Corrections officers are empowered by the government to care for inmates. When a corrections officer takes the law into their own hands and uses excessive force to punish inmates, they endanger not only that inmate, but they create a greater incentive to resist rather than cooperate, and thereby endanger their colleagues as well,” said John Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, in a news release. “Today’s sentencing underscores our unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring accountability for all individuals, regardless of their occupation or authority.”
According to court documents, Doughty was employed as a corrections officer in the Henry County Jail, as well as a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team.
On Feb. 13, 2024, Doughty participated in a scheduled search of an inmate housing pod in the jail.
During the search, inmates were moved into a holding area in the recreation yard and ordered to sit on the floor facing the wall while officers searched the cells for contraband.
Doughty was one of two officers responsible for directing inmates to face the wall and remain seated.
When inmate M.F. turned his head away from the wall, Doughty, without warning, shot his pepper ball gun at point blank range into the inmate’s spine.
The pepper ball shot caused bodily injury to the inmate. Doughty then yelled to the other inmates in the holding area, “congratulations, you all inhale that now,” in reference to the pepper ball gas.
Shortly after the incident, other members of the SERT team reported it to a commander. The commander pulled Doughty from duty and sent him home, recognizing the egregious use of force.
Prior to the incident, Doughty had received training on defensive tactics, physical tactics, Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team training, jail physical and defensive tactics, and new jail officer training.
Doughty had been trained on the “response to resistance ladder,” which states that inmates need to be “actively resistant” to justify use of the pepper ball gun.
However, M.F. was not resisting and no force was necessary under this scenario.
“Everyone, regardless of their status or circumstance, is entitled to dignity and no one should fear for their safety at the hands of those tasked with their care,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans in a released statement. “When correctional officers act with such disregard for those in their care, it is a betrayal of the oath they took to protect, not harm. The FBI will continue to work to ensure civil rights are protected inside every facility.”
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