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Date: 05-18-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 1:20-cr-00100-DDD-JPM
Judge: Dee D. Drell
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Alexandria, Louisiana criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with depriving jail inmates of their rights under color of law.
Cody Richardson, 31, was charged with using excessive force against pretrial detainees housed at the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office (RPSO), Detention Center 1, in Alexandria, Louisiana,
Richardson, while on duty as a correctional officer, tased three different detainees who were restrained and/or not resisting. Specifically, on Jan. 28, 2018, Richardson tased detainee K.F. while K.F. had his hands up, causing him to fall to the ground, then continued to tase K.F. three more times despite the fact that he was not resisting. On Feb. 24, 2018, Richardson drive-stunned detainee S.M. 15-20 times while S.M. was shackled to a bench by his ankles, then, after other officers secured S.M.’s wrists in handcuffs, continued tasing him and kicked him once in the abdomen. Finally, on March 19, 2018, Richardson deployed a taser into detainee J.A.’s back, causing him to fall to the ground, then sat on top of a table in the cellblock and continued to activate the taser four more times while J.A. thrashed on the floor, screaming in pain.
“These kinds of civil rights violations by correctional officers will not be tolerated,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By perpetrating these blatant and callous assaults on inmates, Richardson abused the authority granted to him as an officer of the law, undermined public trust in law enforcement, and caused harm to individuals whom he had a responsibility to protect. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who violate the civil rights of vulnerable inmates in their care, and ensure that such officers are held accountable.”
“Citizens who are detained by law enforcement officers have a right to be treated with fairness and respect,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana. “Those in law enforcement who choose to violate the civil rights of those in their custody and control must suffer the consequences of their actions.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorney Katherine DeVar of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law
Outcome: Defendant sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for each count, to run concurrently, followed by two years of supervised release.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: