Three Houston County deputies have been suspended without pay pending termination from the Houston County jail, says Sheriff Cullen Talton.
Talton says the suspensions follow a June 9th incident in which several deputies and four jailers used a pressure washer on an inmate.
He said the inmate was being held in what they call the jail's "rubber room," and wiping feces on himself and the room's wall.
Talton said jail protocol calls for jailers to clean inmates and the "rubber room" with a hose. He said the jailers chose to use a pressure washer, that is intended for other uses at the jail.
The supervisor on that shift, Lt. Shannon Perry, and the two Sergeants on duty, Michelle Beckham and Ryan Burleson, were suspended, effective Monday. Talton said they 10 days to appeal the suspension. If they choose not to, they will be fired after the 10 days is up.
Two jailers, Sgt. Mark Horne and Mark Perry, were given two days of leave without pay. Two more jailers, Chad Cuskey and Chester Prue, were put on five days of leave without pay.
Talton said although the incident happened June 9th, he did not learn about the incident until a few weeks later. He said the jailers "kept it quiet."
The sheriff said his Chief Deputy Billy Rape "thoroughly investigated" the incident, prior to the suspensions.
Talton said the inmate was not injured.
The sheriff said he would not have any further comment on the incident until after the 10 day period in which the deputies can appeal the suspensions, has passed.