Officer charged with jail assault

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A Springfield police officer fired last Friday after allegations that he mistreated an inmate in the Greene County Jail was charged this week with misdemeanor assault in the third degree. Officer Morris Taylor, an 11-year veteran with the police force, was charged Wednesday after an investigation of the alleged assault on May 29.

During the incident -- at least part of which was caught on surveillance video -- Morris allegedly struck inmate John Sedersten and had him down on the floor at the jail, according to a probable cause statement in the case. Chief Lynn Rowe said there is audio of parts that weren't on video.

"Fortunately, this is an isolated incident," said Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore. "It's not the norm, people should not believe it's the norm." Police Chief Lynn Rowe said, "Our policy is to fairly investigate any allegation of misconduct and resolve that as swiftly as we can as best we can.

"Though it is uncomfortable and quite painful for everyone involved ... it is the right thing to do," said Rowe. "It is necessary we do that -- we think the public will hold us accountable. We take our responsibilities very seriously."

According to the probable cause statement from Sgt. Allen Neal, who investigated the incident, Sedersten said Taylor hit him on the side of his head while both were in the bondsman interview room.

The incarcerated man said he was struck a second time when they were in the hall next to that room, and the force of the strike made his head hit the floor.

Also interviewed in the investigation was Greene County Booking Sgt. Joseph Fletcher, Greene County Booking Officer Jessie Homan, Greene County Booking Officer Steven Hammer, Greene County Booking Officer Jonathon Gifford, as well as Greene County Jail Nurse Robin Tate.

Officers Homan, Hammer and Gifford variously described seeing Taylor with "his knee on the side of Sedersten's face/head," or kneeling "down on Sedersten's head," or placing his knee on the Sedersten before Taylor struck him. Hammer said Taylor was "yelling and cursing" while Gifford reported hearing Taylor "yelling and screaming."

Fletcher described seeing Taylor strike Sedersten in the side with his knee, and then in the head two times with a closed fist, according to the investigator's statement.

Tate, the nurse, reported observing a fresh scrape on Sedersten's arm, scrapes across his left ear, and a walnut-size bump on his head above his left ear.

The probable cause statement does not include detailed description of Sedersten's demeanor or reactions during the incident, or give much explanation about what may have caused Taylor to react in such a way.

Rowe said that officers are trained to use a continuum of force in order to deal with those who aren't compliant with their directions. An officer is allowed to use the force that is necessary to overcome the person that the officer is trying to control or arrest, said Rowe.

If convicted of a class A misdemeanor of assault in the third degree, Morris could face a term in the county jail or other authorized institution not to exceed a year; and a fine not to exceed $1,000.

The misdemeanor assault charge is proper for the case, Moore said, because the alleged victim didn't have severe enough injuries to warrant a felony charge.

According to Moore, Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt also is investigating the behavior of a corrections officer involved in the incident, though Moore decided not to pursue charges in that case.

"He did certain things that don't look good," Moore said of the corrections officer. "We concluded that it did not amount to a criminal charge."

Greene County Chief Deputy Jim Arnott, head of investigations, said the administrative investigation concluded jail staff did not violate any policies. There was one jailer who did not know what to do and followed policy by calling a supervisor right away, said Arnott.

Some of the jail staff are civilians, he noted. The supervisor dealt with the situation, said Arnott.

"If one of our correctional officers would have done this, it's clear policy violation, potentially criminal," said Arnott.

"But when it's another agency -- we are looking at how our staff will respond to something like that if it occurs in the future."

Moore noted that possible bad behavior was limited to Taylor and one jailer.

"The other jailers that were there that day were appalled," Moore said.

"They were shocked. They knew this was wrong."