Dwight Hamilton, Excessive Force, Georgia 2017
A former jail sergeant has been sentenced to federal prison for abusing an inmate at the DeKalb County Jail in Georgia.
Dwight Hamilton, 54, of Atlanta, was sentenced to one year in prison, three years' supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for abusing a female inmate by tasing her without any legitimate justification.
Hamilton's former supervisor, Leonard Dreyer, was also sentenced but to one year of probation conditioned upon his serving 21 days in a halfway house for attempting to obstruct the federal investigation into Hamilton's use of excessive force by making false statements to the FBI.
According to court documents, Hamilton had a sworn duty to protect the inmate, but instead, he tased her until she defecated on herself on November 1, 2011. The tasing resulted in permanent scarring to her breast.
Hamilton pleaded guilty to his charge on November 20, 2017. The case was investigated by the Atlanta Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Alan Gray and Trial Attorney Christopher Perras of the Civil Rights Division.
U.S. Attorney Byung J. 'BJay' Pak said, 'Abuse of power by any law enforcement officer is always unacceptable.' He added, 'Law enforcement officers stand in the gap every day to keep us safe, whether they are patrolling a beat, or a correctional officer working in a jail or prison. Hamilton's conduct is not reflective of how we expect officers to conduct themselves.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore said, 'Hamilton's unjustified violent actions grossly violated the civil rights of an inmate whom he had a sworn duty to protect.'
Dwight Hamilton, Defendant:
Defendant's Real Full Name: Dwight Hamilton
Criminal Charge: Abusing a female inmate by tasing her without any legitimate justification.
City and State: Atlanta, Georgia
Exact Date: November 1, 2011 (crime date)
Sentence or Outcome: 1 year in prison, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
Dollar Amounts: $100 special assessment
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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