Now fired Joneboro, Arkansas, Police Officer Joseph Harris is shown with detainee Billy Lee Coram. Officials say the fired officer abused the suspect.Screen Shot from Jonesboro PD Video
A Jonesboro, Arkansas, Police officer has been fired after the video system in his patrol vehicle captured video of him abusing a prisoner last Thursday.
Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliot told Newsweek that he fired Joseph Harris on Friday after he had received a complaint from the sheriff's office and then reviewed the video.
Elliot stated that he has spoken with the local prosecutor, and been in conversation with the FBI Office in Little Rock in response to the incident.
The detainee in the incident had been identified as Billy Lee Coram.
Coram had been held at Craighead County jail on Monday on escape charges, and is wanted on out of state warrants, according to CBS News. He had been taken to hospital after telling jail staff he ingested fentanyl, and escaped the hospital. He was caught by Harris, who put him in the patrol vehicle and transported him back to the detention center.
In the video, Coram is wearing a blue hospital gown and is seen panting, visibly perspiring and then choking himself with a seatbelt wrapped around his neck.
At one point, the vehicle pulls over. Harris then reportedly opens the door and punches and elbows Coram several times. He is also accused of slamming the vehicle’s door against Coram's head.
