(KLFY) Surveillance footage allegedly captured an inmate being brutally overwhelmed by a number of corrections officers on the Rapides Parish jail.
The sheriff’s workplace is now refusing to launch that video, in accordance with attorneys.
Simply moments earlier than he was purported to be launched after being falsely imprisoned for 4 days, Malcolm Xavier Williams says 5 corrections officers beginning beating him so violently, he solely had one thought.
“I used to be simply pondering, ‘Simply maintain on. Don’t die. Don’t die,’” Williams recalled.
He says after the alleged assault, the officers threw him again in a cell for resisting arrest.
In response to Williams, he was held there for ten hours earlier than the jail’s warden stated she was releasing him and dropping the costs after reviewing surveillance video that captured the incident.
“It ought to present your entire story from begin to end. It ought to present him being launched after being wrongfully detained, on the lookout for his issues, after which this officer simply beating him up after which different officers coming in leaping him like its a gang. It appeared like, in accordance with my shopper, gangs with badges,” lawyer Ron Haley stated.
It’s been one week because the alleged assault occurred on March 22, and Haley says the sheriff’s workplace has but handy over that video.
“I feel the silence is deafening. They’ve but to reply to our public data request, however I do know if we’re making very particular allegations of misconduct, that video both places guilt on these officers or would exonerate them,” Haley stated. “If I’m lobbying these allegations, if my shopper is lobbying these allegations towards these corrections officers, and there’s video on the contrary, I feel we might have seen it by now.”
Haley says they haven’t seen the video. He says the one individuals who have seen the video are legislation enforcement officers.
“This investigation must be finished transparently. If there may be video that exhibits this, it shouldn’t take an extended investigation. There isn’t a historical past between Mr. Williams and these officers for them to try this. Play the footage. If it exhibits what Mr. Williams says, then people should be held accountable. This doesn’t should be coated up,” he added.
Information Ten additionally requested the video. The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Workplace stated they won’t be releasing the video to us till their investigation is accomplished.
“I’m uninterested in these legislation enforcement businesses hiding behind the concept in an investigation, we’ve got to suppress all of the proof for nonetheless lengthy the investigation takes place. I’m hopeful that this sheriff does one thing totally different than a number of counterparts all through the state and launch the footage. It will definitely will come to the sunshine of day,” Haley advised Information Ten.
Of their battle to acquire the video, Haley is now calling on the general public to assist.
“Be part of us on this struggle. Name the sheriff’s workplace. Demand that this video be launched. This can be a matter that must be addressed. We is not going to keep quietly on this. If we’ve got to file a lawsuit so as to get this video launched, we’ll do this. No matter we’ve got to do to get justice for Malcolm Williams, we’re going to do,” Haley stated.
Haley says the officers shouldn’t solely be fired, however they need to be formally charged with crimes if the video corroborates William’s story.
