A former Fulton County, Georgia, jail officer faces federal charges after allegedly strangling a female detainee at a facility that became subject of a Justice Department investigation in July after 10 people died there since the beginning of the year.
The Justice Department said 32-year-old Monique Clark of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of using excessive force against a pretrial detainee at the jail.
“We recognize that detention officers have a particularly challenging job as they work to maintain order and protect detainees in our district’s jails and prisons,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said. “However, this detention officer allegedly abused a handcuffed Fulton County detainee by strangling her and must be held accountable for such outrageous conduct.”
FAMILY OF MONTAY STINSON SAYS FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF HAS ‘BLOOD’ ON HIS HANDS AFTER INMATE’S DEATH
Monique Clark booking photo (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)
According to the charges, Clark was employed as a detention center officer at the Fulton County Jail at the time of the alleged incident.
On June 5, Clark was working at the North Jail Annex in Alpharetta, Georgia when he strangled a woman who was detained, without any legal justification, the DOJ said.
The alleged act caused the woman to lose consciousness and suffer bodily injury.
There have been 10 inmate deaths so far this year at the Fulton County Jail, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)
Clark has been terminated since the incident occurred, and charged with one count of aggravated assault, violation of oath by a public officer, and reckless conduct by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, which he worked for since 2016.
“While those behind bars may have lost their freedom, they retain their humanity — and their civil rights,” Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of FBI Atlanta said. “This case serves as an example that the FBI is committed to identifying and investigating those law enforcement officers who choose to abandon their oath and violate the public’s civil rights.”
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The investigation into the matter is ongoing and Clark is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
