Randel Branscum, 56, the former chief sheriff’s deputy and jail administrator in Stone County, Arkansas, has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for orchestrating a violent inmate-on-inmate assault behind bars. The crime, a calculated abuse of power, unfolded inside the Mountain View jail where Branscum held ultimate authority over inmate housing and safety.
On March 2, 2016, Branscum admitted in court that he personally instructed a group of inmates housed in cell 33 to “handle” a fellow inmate. He then moved the victim into the same cell, blocked his escape when the man realized an attack was imminent, and stood by as the beating commenced. The victim was punched repeatedly and slammed headfirst into a windowsill, suffering a head wound and multiple injuries during the assault.
Branscum didn’t just ignore the attack—he engineered it. By abusing his role as jail administrator, he turned a holding cell into a torture chamber under his command. His actions violated not only federal law but the basic trust the public places in corrections officials to protect those in custody, even the most marginalized.
“This corrections officer abused his power to order a violent assault against a prisoner,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When corrections officers fail to uphold that oath, their actions corrode our justice system’s fundamental values.”
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Thyer of the Eastern District of Arkansas echoed the condemnation: “This type of abuse of power and authority will never be tolerated by the citizens of Arkansas, or my office.” He emphasized that law enforcement must be held to the highest ethical standards—and when they break the law, they will face consequences.
Two inmates who carried out the beating were also convicted. Matthew McConniel was sentenced to probation on the same day as Branscum, while James Beckham received probation on May 26, 2016. All three were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian S. Miller. The FBI led the investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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