Six jailers have been fired by the sheriff of a Texas jail as they mistreated a mentally ill inmate who had been found living in horrible condition in a jail cell for weeks.
Adrian Garcia, Harris County Sheriff has fired 6 jailers and suspended 29 other jailers. His second-in-commander, Chief Deputy Fred Brown will be resigning by the end of the month.
Additionally, the major who had been in charge of inmate housing has been demoted from her command.
Two detection officer sergeants had been accused by the grand jury after Terry Goodwin, a mentally ill inmate had been found in the 2013 in his cell with his food containers contaminated with bugs, a toilet which had been clogged with feces and his shredded uniform hanging from the ceiling.
Garcia mentions that it is not a pleasant job to discipline employees, but this time they have miserably failed to take the necessary actions leading to a condition that “no inmate should be subjected to.”
Goodwin, 24 had been held in for a marijuana charge while still on probation. After conducting an internal affairs investigation, Garcia had fired 2 indicted detention officers and 4 supervisors.
The accused officers have faced charges for tampering with governmental record, which is considered a felony carrying a sentence of up to 10 years along with a fine of $100,000. The two officers are Ricky D. Pickens-Wilson and John Figaroa.
They have been accused of signing off on a form which said that Goodwin’s cell had been checked and search. But other sources say that they have actually been skipping his cell.
29 jailers have also been suspended without pay by Garcia. The office had issued in total 109 days of unpaid suspension.
2 Comments
Just goes to show how miserable our society has become! You have to wonder how much more wicked we can become as humans.
Also, I wonder when the Sheriff last personally checked his jail! Hopefully he has learned a lesson
and provide QUALITY training for All of his staff and not take anything for granted.
As a retired police officer, I am appalled for this neglect of duty.
Are we not better then this?
Ben
A human being was subjected to this for using marijuana? Really? I’m sure we’re all so much safer for it. Personally, I’d rather save the jail cell for a violent criminal.