Former Jacksonville corrections officer found not guilty in beating of shackled woman

3 years ago 249

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A erstwhile corrections serviceman accused of beating a pistillate who was shackled successful the Duval County jailhouse successful 2018 was recovered not blameworthy Wednesday.

A assemblage recovered Catherine Thompson, present 24, not blameworthy of 1 number of misdemeanor artillery and 2 counts of felony authoritative misconduct.

Kirenda Welch, who told News4Jax that she was 5 weeks large astatine the time, was arrested successful the summertime of 2018 connected a complaint of driving without a valid licence — which tribunal records amusement has since been dismissed. Police said that Welch encountered Thompson portion being searched astatine the jail, the 2 exchanged insults, and past Thompson bushed Welch aft she was placed successful four-point restraints, meaning she was handcuffed and her legs were shackled, and her hands and legs were connected by a chain. Thompson was arrested and instantly fired from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, arsenic she was inactive successful her probationary period, aft the incident.

According to Duval County tribunal records, a assemblage was selected Monday, and Thompson’s proceedings started Tuesday.

The first time of the trial included grounds from Welch and 2 correction officers and erstwhile co-workers of Thompson, arsenic good arsenic interrogation video.

“She punched my caput into the partition — which caused maine to autumn backmost from the bench. After I fell backmost from the archetypal punch, she conscionable continued to punch maine astatine slightest betwixt 10 and 20 times, and she was astir to choke me,” Welch said.

Thompson said she deed Welch due to the fact that Welch spot her, but 2 correction officers and erstwhile co-workers of Thompson testified Tuesday that it didn’t hap that way.

One of the corrections officers was asked: “You spot Ms. Thompson crook astir and onslaught Ms. Welch?” She responded: ‘Yes ma’am?”

The different corrections serviceman was asked: “Did you spot Ms. Welch combat Ms. Thompson earlier Ms. Thompson punched her?” He replied: “I did not.”

Before the prosecution rested its lawsuit Tuesday, it played a video of Thompson being interrogated by 2 JSO detectives, who kept telling Thompson that her written study astir what happened was inconsistent with what they heard from eyewitnesses and Welch. After repeating her mentation of what happened, they told her a warrant was issued for her arrest. Then, successful the video, she tin beryllium heard saying: “I conjecture I punched her successful the look and I took her to the crushed and I started beating the **** retired of her. I conjecture that’s the truth.”

On time 2 of the trial, which started Wednesday morning, Thompson took the basal and told the tribunal she acted successful self-defense. She besides explained to the assemblage her mentation of the interrogation video.

“I had 2 grown men looking astatine maine and telling maine I was lying, and they wouldn’t listen, adjacent aft I kept on. They kept connected saying I was lying, and that’s precise hard. So astatine that time, I said, ‘I volition accidental thing you privation maine to accidental to get retired of there,’” Thompson said.

During cross-examination, Thompson broke down successful tears respective times portion being asked wherefore she said that to the detectives and if she thought the witnesses were lying.

Both sides past presented last arguments earlier the assemblage began deliberating astir 2:30 p.m.

The verdict was handed down little than 2 hours later.

In summation to the transgression trial, Thompson is besides facing a civilian suit stemming from the events that led to her being charged.

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