A classic case of prisoners’ dilemma has landed two DeKalb County sheriff’s officers in trouble.
Fifty-year-old Lieutenant Leonard Dreyer was indicted on federal charges this week for encouraging one of his subordinates to use extreme and unnecessary force against a prison inmate.
Not only this, he is also accused of obstructing Justice and making false statements to the FBI.
On January 27, 2012 Dreyer saw one of his assistants dragging a prisoner through water during the night. Instead of stopping the jailer, he ordered for the inmate to be tased.
His impulsive and aggressive behavior continued through the shift. Following the water incident, he ordered Jail Sergeant Dwight Hamilton to use a stun gun on another inmate the first chance he got.
Three other detention officers witnessed the episode. However, he pressured them to produce false reports supporting Hamilton’s actions so the use of force would seem justified.
Dreyer’s attorney Don Samuel categorically denies all of these allegations.
The lawyer says although the prisoners experienced abuse in jail that night, his client had no role to play.
“Nobody, at the time, accused Lenny of doing anything wrong. He was not near the jail at the time that the alleged improper tasing occurred. He never told anybody- ever -to improperly tase an inmate. Never. Nor did he ever tell anybody to falsify a report. Never,” he said.
For the lieutenant the elaborate cover-up was exposed as a result of a federal civil rights investigation.
Four months ago, Hamilton was also indicted due to the same enquiry.
The latter was accused of unnecessary use of a stun gun in at least five different instances that left inmates injured.
He is also charged with producing incorrect official reports and witness tampering.
Hamilton claims he was justified every time.
He said he used the taser once on a female convict who was moving a bed in her cell despite being told not to do so.
The rest of the times, he claims, he only deployed his weapon when inmates charged at him.
Hamilton has pleaded “not guilty.”
Brian Mendelsohn is representing him.
The lawyer maintains that charges against his client must be dropped, particularly those relating to making false statements.
“We are disappointed that the United States Attorney’s Office has decided to rehash incidents that occurred four years ago while Sergeant Hamilton was carrying out his sworn duty to maintain order in the jail. We look forward to the opportunity to respond to these charges and defend Sergeant Hamilton’s good name,” he said.