A former lieutenant with the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) was sentenced to seven years in a federal prison this week after pleading guilty to “deprivation of rights under color of law.” Specifically … stabbing an inmate entrusted to his authority.
According to a news release from the office of acting U.S. attorney Lance Crick, 29-year-old Jarrell Boyan of Columbia, S.C. received the sentence in connection with an incident that took place on October 6, 2016 at Kirkland Correctional Institute in Columbia.
What happened?
Per the release, Boyan – the ranking officer on the scene that day – launched an inspection of an inmate’s cell after its occupant allegedly damaged a light fixture.
Surveillance video showed “Boyan and two other officers … walking down the wing and entering the victim’s cell. Once inside the cell, the victim gave some resistance and the officers used force to secure the victim in handcuffs.”
At this point, a search of the cell was conducted – which led to the discovery of a homemade metal knife, commonly referred to as a “shank.” Boyan and the officers removed the shank from the inmate and “secured it at a safe distance away from the cell and off of the wing.”
But not for long …
“Several minutes later, Boyan directed the restrained victim back inside the cell, where (he) and two subordinate officers applied additional force,” the release noted. “Moments later, Boyan is seen exiting the cell and walking off of the wing and out of view of the camera, where he retrieved the shank. Boyan then placed the shank in his pocket, returned to the wing, and went back into the victim’s cell.”
This is when the stabbing took place …
Inside the victim’s cell, shielded from camera view, Boyan exposed the shank and began stabbing the victim several times. The subordinate officers looked on and continued to physically restrain the victim as Boyan repeatedly caused injury to the victim. The victim sustained several injuries, including four stab wounds to his abdomen and punctures to his kidney and liver. The victim received immediate medical attention, but he has required additional surgeries. In the hours following the stabbing, Boyan authored a false report of the incident and directed his subordinate deputies to do the same.
To its credit, SCDC responded “immediately” to the incident, launching an internal investigation and sharing information on the case with agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue fighting alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those in positions of public trust are held accountable when they abuse that trust,” Crick said. “We are grateful to SCDC and the FBI for their work in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“When a corrections officer breaks the public trust, they must be held accountable for their actions,” said SCDC director Bryan Stirling. “The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office working alongside the SCDC Police Services Division did a great job bringing this case to justice.”
“Citizens should trust their law enforcement officers, including correctional officers, to act in accordance with the Constitution,” said Jody Norris, the FBI special agent in charge. “When that trust is betrayed the FBI will continue to work with our partners, such as the South Carolina Department of Corrections, to ensure justice is served. This case demonstrates the steadfastness of our commitment.”
Boyan’s case was prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia, S.C. office. He was sentenced by U.S. district court judge Michelle Childs. There is no parole in the federal system, meaning Boyan will serve every day of that sentence.
Hopefully he will receive better treatment during his stay than he doled out to his victim in this case …
-FITSNews
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