Florida Correction Officers Charged with Civil Rights Violation
TALLAHASSEE – In a shocking turn of events, two correctional officers have been charged with conspiracy to violate the civil rights of a state inmate at the Franklin Correctional Institution in Florida. William J. Ray, 40, of Carrabelle, Florida, and Corry B. Fletcher, 43, of Bristol, Florida, are accused of depriving the inmate of constitutional rights.
According to the indictment, Ray and Fletcher conspired to intimidate the inmate in July 2014 and physically assaulted him without justification, causing bodily injury. Fletcher was also charged with obstruction of justice for intentionally misleading FBI and FDLE agents through false statements in April 2015.
The indictment was announced by Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Ray and Fletcher were arrested this morning and arraigned in federal court today. The trial is scheduled for July 13, 2015, in Tallahassee.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with the assistance of the Florida Department of Corrections – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen M. Kunz.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States.
To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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