3 former Big Island prison guards convicted of civil rights violations for beating inmate
By Web Staff
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HILO, Hawaii (KITV) — Three former correctional officers at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCCC) were convicted on Monday for assaulting an inmate and then attempting to cover up their crime.
Jason Tagaloa, 31, Craig Pinkney, 38, and Jonathan Taum, 50, were each found guilty following a three-week trial, the US Department of Justice wrote in a press release on Monday. A fourth officer, Jordan Demattos, had previously pleaded guilty for his role in the crime and testified on behalf of the government, the DOJ said.
All four men were accused of assaulting an inmate back in 2015 in violation of his civil rights and for obstructing justice when they tried to cover up the crime.
“These defendants abused the trust given to them as law enforcement officers when they violently assaulted an inmate and lied to cover it up,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
According to the DOJ, the assault occurred in the recreation yard at HCCC. During the assault, which lasted approximately two minutes, the four guards punched and kicked the inmate in his head and body as he was lying on the ground. That inmate suffered a broken nose, a broken jaw, and a broken eye socket during the attack.
Surveillance footage of the attack was was later released by the Hawaii Department of Public Safety (DPS).
After the assault, DOJ officials say the guards then wrote up false reports omitting the force they used. When an investigation was launched into the attack, the men met up to formulate a unified story to justify their actions, investigators said. All four guards were eventually fired in 2016.
“As correctional officers, they were held to upholding the standards of law enforcement officers within the state prisons and they did not do so in this case. The FBI will vigorously pursue justice for those whose civil rights were violated,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill of the FBI Honolulu Field Office.
A sentencing date has not been set. The guards each could face up to 20 years in prison for filing a false report alone, as well as 10 years in prison for the deprivation of rights conviction and five years for the conspiracy conviction.
“Justice has been served as those involved were held accountable. The Department will not tolerate this type of behavior from any employee,” said DPS Director Max Otani.
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