Louisville corrections officers David Schwartz and Devan Edwards, were charged on Wednesday for the April 2018 beating of 19-year-old inmate Terry Whitehead.
What We Know…
- Body cam footage that was taken inside the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections has surfaced, which captured Schwartz and Edwards punching Whitehead in the face while he was in handcuffs.
- According to New York Post, Whitehead’s lawyer claims officers allowed the inmate to cover an opening in his cell door with tissue paper while using the bathroom, but when the officers ordered Whitehead to take down the paper he couldn’t get to it in time. This led to a verbal argument between the officers and Whitehead which quickly escalated.
- Schwartz was fired after the incident and faces three counts of depriving Whitehead of his right to be free from excessive force, and charged for filing two false reports. The first report accusing Whitehead of assaulting him and the other failing to mention assaulting a inmate in handcuffs.
- Edwards was also fired and is accused of punching Whitehead twice in the face and failing to stop Schwartz from assaulting Whitehead.
- Supervisor Donna Gentry,who retired from the department in September 2018, is charged with obstruction of justice in result of lying on an incident report claiming Whitehead of spitting and hitting the officers, and not mentioning the assault towards Whitehead.
Whitehead suffered contusions and swelling and was taken to the hospital after losing consciousness in custody. He filed a lawsuit against all three former officers last year claiming excessive force, assault and battery
