Two former correction officers at Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill will spend over seven years in prison for nearly beating an inmate to death at the Dutchess County prison.
Kathy Scott and George Santiago Jr. were sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in White Plains for the barbaric Nov. 12, 2013, beating of inmate Kevin Moore.
Santiago, who was accused of keeping one of Moore’s dreadlocks as a “trophy,” was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison. Scott, then a sergeant and supervising officer at the scene, encouraged the beating and ignored Moore’s pleas for mercy. She was sentenced to eight years and four months behind bars.
Scott, 44, then orchestrated an attempted coverup with Santiago’s help. Santiago, 36, even went so far as to have a colleague whack him with a baton to make it appear as if he was injured in a scuffle with Moore.
“Kathy Scott and George Santiago participated in a vicious beating of inmate Kevin Moore within an inch of his life. Then they concocted a phony story to hide what they did, repeatedly lying in Department of Correction records and even creating a fake injury,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. “The U.S. Constitution protects all of us, including those in prison. Correction officers who physically abuse inmates and lie about it will be punished as criminals.”
The officers began pummeling Scott when he objected to being placed in a cell for mentally ill inmates and called himself a “monster,” authorities said. Moore did not threaten any of the COs, according to court papers.
The beating left Moore with multiple facial fractures, five broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
“Who’s a monster now?” Santiago hollered during the beating, which continued even after the inmate was handcuffed.
Santiago’s attorney Daniel Hochheiser said his client maintained his innocence and would appeal the sentence.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com