A Clayton County corrections officer was fired and arrested after he allegedly helped four inmates assault another inmate, Sheriff Levon Allen said late Wednesday.
Officer Jalen Clausell is accused of intentionally allowing inmates to have access to the victim in order to physically assault him over the weekend, Allen said. Clausell and the four inmates were charged following an investigation into the incident, which the sheriff dubbed Operation “Think it’s a Game” in a news release.
It was the eighth arrest this year involving jail employees or contractors since Allen took office earlier this year. He won a runoff election in April to replace Sheriff Victor Hill, who began serving an 18-month sentence in an Arkansas prison in May for violating the civil rights of inmates by strapping them into restraint chairs as punishment. Allen was promoted from chief deputy to interim sheriff in late December.
“Sheriff Levon Allen has said time and time again that this is not a game of ‘monkey see and monkey do,’” a news release from the sheriff’s office stated. “Sheriff Levon Allen is committed to cleaning both the streets and jail of Clayton County.”
In the most recent incident, four inmates were charged with aggravated assault: Isaiah Campuzano, Jevontavious Hall, Lamonte Turner, and Keshon White. In addition to being fired, Clausell was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, reckless conduct, and violation of oath by a public officer. He was released on bond Monday, court records showed.
No details were released on whether an inmate was injured in the assault.
Clausell’s arrest was the second in less than a month involving a jail employee. It was the second time this year an employee has been involved in an alleged assault of an inmate.
On Oct. 8, a correctional officer was arrested and fired for attempting to take contraband into the jail, according to Allen. Officer Desiree Lowery was stopped by a supervisor with the contraband and then attempted to leave, Allen said in a news release.
In May, Correctional Officer Sean Hollinshead, according to Allen, was taken into custody for his alleged role in a “vicious attack” on an inmate and charged with criminal negligence and violation of his oath of office.
During the same month, Officer Tabitha Clifton and nurse Jessica Castellanos were arrested after they were accused of giving inmates prohibited items, the sheriff said.
The recent arrests are the latest in a string involving jailers in metro Atlanta.
In June, a Fulton County jailer was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault and cruelty to an inmate. Video footage, according to Fulton Sheriff Patrick Labat’s office, showed Demarcus Whatley using excessive force while interacting with three inmates and then failing to accurately report what happened.
Earlier in June, a Fulton detention officer was fired and arrested after being accused of using excessive force during an inmate exchange with Alpharetta police, officials said.
Monique Clark, 31, is facing felony counts of aggravated assault and violation of oath by a public officer, along with a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct, Labat previously said. The incident that resulted in Clark’s charges took place on June 5 and was captured by the Alpharetta officers’ body-worn cameras.
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