A former high-ranking law enforcement officer in Louisiana has been brought to justice for his role in a heinous assault on a pre-trial detainee. Mark Frederick, a 47-year-old resident of St. Martinville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an assault on E.M., a pre-trial detainee at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ).
According to court documents, Frederick, who served as both a Captain of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office (IPSO) and the Assistant Warden at the IPJ, orchestrated and participated in the brutal assault on E.M. on September 27, 2011. The attack occurred in the IPJ chapel, a location not covered by the jail’s video surveillance system, where Frederick and other senior IPSO staff repeatedly beat E.M. while he was handcuffed and compliant.
During the assault, one officer used a baton to strike E.M. in the genitals, causing him to be knocked off his feet and suffer pain. Despite witnessing the assault, Frederick chose not to intervene, instead opting to watch as E.M. was brutally beaten.
“Individuals incarcerated in jails have the right to be free from unjustified assaults by corrections officers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who abuse their authority and violate their oath of office and federal law by assaulting inmates in their custody.”
Frederick, who will be sentenced at a later date by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Walter, faces the consequences of his actions. The case was investigated by the Lafayette Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana.
This egregious abuse of power by a law enforcement officer has been brought to light, and we will continue to hold those accountable who abuse their authority.
Mark Frederick, 47, of St. Martinville, Louisiana, is currently awaiting sentencing for his role in the assault on E.M. The exact date of sentencing has not been released by the court.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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