Jerry Minor Alleges Assault and Civil Rights Violations: A 55-year-old Black man, Jerry Minor, is pursuing a federal lawsuit against several correctional officers from the Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office for the assault he endured while in jail. Represented by attorney Roderick Van Daniel, Minor alleges that he was assaulted three times in less than an hour by officers Devin Whitehead, Nicholas Roach, and Christopher Hart.
The incident began when Minor, seeking to make a phone call, knocked on the Detox cell window. In response, Hart reportedly pepper-sprayed him. Following this, while washing off the pepper spray in a shower, Minor threw his underwear onto Roach’s head. Roach, along with Whitehead, rushed to the shower and assaulted Minor, as per the lawsuit.
According to testimony from another officer, Whitehead specifically hit and kicked Minor in the head multiple times. As Minor was leaving the shower area, Whitehead allegedly punched him again, threw him into a wall, and slammed him to the ground with the assistance of other correctional guards.
Van Daniel expressed concern over the officers’ actions, stating, “These officers were not satisfied with violating Mr. Minors civil rights. They wanted to show their dominance over an elderly inmate who just wanted to make a phone call, which is his constitutional right.”
While Whitehead was terminated for excessive force, Roach and Hart remain employed. Roach received a suspension and was instructed to complete de-escalation training.
Minor’s lawsuit seeks relief for violations of state law, including assault and battery, violations of his Fourth Amendment rights, and deprivation of liberty for being denied access to make a telephone call.
READ MORE: Lawsuit Claims Assault on Jerry Minor: by Lauderdale County Officers
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