Three Florida prison guards have been charged after they allegedly beat an inmate to death.
On Thursday, three correctional officers, Kirk Walton, Christopher Rolon, and Ronald Connor, were charged with murder after they allegedly beat a handcuffed 60-year-old inmate to death. The men worked at Miami-Dade County prison, and the incident took place on Feb. 14.
At the time of the incident, the inmate – identified as Ronald Ingram – was being removed from a cell in the prison’s mental health unit. He was being taken to a north Florida prison. While being moved, the inmate threw urine at one of the guards.
“After the inmate was removed, even though he was in handcuffs and compliant with officer commands, agents say the officers began to beat him. The inmate was beaten so badly he had to be carried to the transport van,” The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in an announcement, CBS News reports.
They then placed the inmate in a compartment within the van by himself. During the transportation trip, the inmate was found dead in the van.
“Staff misconduct, abuse or criminal behavior have no place in Florida’s correctional system, said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, CBS News reports.” Individuals who are sentenced to incarceration by our criminal courts have lost their freedom but not their basic rights,”
She added:” Inmates should not be subject to forms of ‘back alley’ justice which are actions in violation of Florida law.”
The three men were arrested and charged with second-degree murder, along with other charges.
