Tommy Morris, Assault Cover-Up, Tennessee 2023
A former Tennessee Correctional Officer has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison and two years supervised release for conspiring to cover up the beating of an inmate in the mental health unit at the Northwest County Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee.
On May 7, Tommy Morris, a former Corporal with the Tennessee Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty to federal offenses arising out of the assault of R.T., an inmate in the mental health unit at the facility. Morris is the third officer to be sentenced for their role in the assault.
According to court documents, Morris conspired to cover up the assault and persuaded other officers to provide false information to investigators.
The investigation was led by the Memphis Division of the FBI with the support of the TDOC. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
“The defendant, as a supervisory correctional officer, watched other officers assault a vulnerable inmate and then he guided these officers in their efforts to cover up their criminal conduct,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those who commit civil rights violations and those who conspire with their fellow officers to obstruct the ensuing criminal investigation.”
“The civil rights statutes are there to protect the Constitutional rights and freedoms of everyone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. “Our office will prosecute those who violate these laws, regardless of the victim’s status and those who attempt to cover up these crimes.”
On Nov. 24, 2020, Morris pleaded guilty to conspiring to cover up the beating of R.T. and to knowingly encouraging correctional officers to provide investigators with false and misleading information.
Morris is the third officer to be sentenced in connection with the assault. The exact dates of sentencing for the other officers are not specified in the source material.
The case highlights the importance of holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions and the need for transparency in the correctional system.
Defendant: Tommy Morris
Criminal Charges: Conspiring to cover up the beating of an inmate and persuading other officers to provide false information to investigators
City and State: Tiptonville, Tennessee
Exact Date: May 7, 2023 (sentencing date)
Sentence: A year and a day in prison and two years supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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