A federal jury on Thursday convicted a former Alabama prison sergeant in the assault of an inmate.
A Middle District of Alabama jury found Devlon Williams, a 37-year-old former correctional supervisor at Staton Correctional Facility, guilty of deprivation of rights under color of law, falsification of records and obstruction.
Williams and a former prison officer, Larry Managan Jr. 41, were initially charged in a five-count indictment handed down in 2021.
The evidence at trial showed that on March 8, 2018, Williams assaulted an inmate, identified only as D.H., in the main hallway of the healthcare unit.
Witnesses at trial testified that Williams repeatedly punched and kicked D.H., who was on the ground and not resisting or posing a threat to any person or corrections officer. Williams continued the beating by hitting D.H. multiple times with a collapsible baton.
The government presented evidence at trial that after the beating, Williams and Managan, who previously pleaded guilty to obstruction, attempted to cover up the beating.
Williams made false statements about the assault to an Alabama Department of Corrections investigator and prepared a false report about the incident.
“This defendant is being held accountable for using excessive force against an inmate and preparing a false report to cover-up his unlawful behavior,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Prisoners, like everyone else, have the right to be free from such needless and extreme violence at the hands of law enforcement officers.”
The FBI Mobile Field Office and Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
“While most corrections officers try each day to do the right thing, unfortunately, some abuse the authority they are granted,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. “Everyone deserves protection under the law and my office will hold any officer criminally responsible for violating the civil rights of a person in his or her custody.”
“There is no place for this type of behavior in law enforcement,’’ said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Mobile Field Office.
Williams and Managan are awaiting sentencing.
