FLORIDA
A federal judge sentenced a prison guard to one year in prison in connection with the beating of an inmate at the Coleman Correction Facility in Coleman, Florida on March 22, 2014, officials announced Thursday.
William Houghton, 32, had plead guilty to violating the civil rights of the inmate by striking him in the head and face, officials said. Houghton admitted that the inmate did not make any physically aggressive movements, show signs of imminent violence towards the defendant or clench his fists prior to the assault.
While the inmate was on the ground, Houghton continuously told the inmate to stop resisting even though he was not resisting in any way, the defendant admitted, according to authorities.
Houghton also pleaded guilty to submitting two false reports in connection with the incident, falsely stating that the inmate had attempted to assault him and omitting the fact that Houghton had repeatedly punched the inmate.
“When correction officers violate the civil rights of those they pledge to protect, they threaten the trust that all of us place in law enforcement to keep us safe and secure,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue its vigorous efforts to ensure that when people abuse their law enforcement authority to break the law, we hold them accountable for their actions.”
The FBI investigated this case.