Jefferson County, Colorado, will reportedly pay $500,000 in 2022 to a former inmate who was allegedly abused by corrections officers while incarcerated.
Frederick Fisk had been transferred to a different unit after getting into an argument with a guard during a mental health episode, police said. CBS News.
The incident occurred as Fisk was being escorted down a hallway, when he reportedly stopped, unable to continue, and two deputies accompanying him allegedly pulled Fisk's legs from his body and slammed him to the floor. (Related article: Wisconsin prison staff indicted in multiple inmate deaths)
“The enforcement action was unjustified, especially in the circumstances in which Mr. Fisk was handcuffed and had his face slammed into the floor,” spokeswoman Carlyn Tilley said. “This administration will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
Prison inmates Sheriff Jeff He agreed to a $500,000 settlement after officers dropped him face-first on the ground while handcuffed:https://t.co/goz03RvR1P
— Brian Mars (@Briancbs4) June 26, 2024
Mr Tilley said the officers' actions were “not the result of malice but of inexperience and poor judgment”.
Nevertheless, the county settled with Fisk for $500,000 in return for the former inmate not suing, but his lawyer, David Lane, suggested the matter is not yet resolved.
“The fact that local law enforcement is not interested in enforcing their own laws leaves me with no choice but to approach the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue charges under federal civil rights laws,” he said.
“Whenever police investigate police, the results are very favorable for the police,” the lawyer continued, “These officers absolutely should be charged with felony assault.”
