[PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook / Florida Department of Corrections]
[Original Publish Date: 04/13/20]
TAVARES, Florida — Two state corrections officers accused of beating a handcuffed inmate, breaking multiple ribs and collapsing his lung, turned themselves in last week on charges of official misconduct and aggravated battery after being investigated by the Florida Office of the Inspector General and the FBI.
On Feb. 6, inmate Joseph Scull returned to Lake Correctional Institution (LCI) from an outside work detail and brought smokeless tobacco — contraband — he found back to the prison with him. He was strip searched and went through a metal detector and then was separated from the group of inmates he returned with, Scull told investigators.
The rest of the inmates were taken to the inside of the compound while Scull was detained in a holding cell in the sally port area; LCI Officer Jamal Anthony Demetrius, 24, took him out of the cell and into a search room where he was handcuffed behind his back and patted down. Scull and Demetrius went into the adjoining room and were joined by LCI Sgt. Cole Ray Dorman, 30, who was wearing black gloves with “hardened rubber pyramid-shaped knuckles,” and holding a small finger of a glove containing the tobacco Scull found on his work detail, according to an affidavit. Dorman began “chastising” Scull for the tobacco and moved towards him as if he were going to hit him; this caused Scull to flinch and Dorman struck him in the left ear and then began hitting him in the left eye, Scull said.
A witness, who is a staff member at the prison, told investigators Dorman and Demetrius did beat Scull and “there was absolutely no legitimate justification for the actions of Sgt. Dorman or Officer Demetrius.”
Both Dorman and Demetrius submitted sworn incident reports that did not match Scull’s injuries or the witness’ statement, according to the affidavits and arrest warrants that were issued on Thursday. Dorman turned himself in the same day and Demetrius turned himself in on Friday. They were both charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct and released on $7,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
