I-TEAM UPDATE: 2 ex-deputies plead guilty in assault on inmate
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The I-TEAM has uncovered new information about an incident at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center that landed six now-former deputies in jail themselves.
All six still face charges in Richmond County. But two of them just pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Daniel D’Aversa, 52, and Melissa Morello, 27, await sentencing after each pleaded guilty to an information charging them with deprivation of civil rights under color of law.
And they might have some company.
SEE THE PLEA AGREEMENTS:
That’s because new documents show that Morello and D’Aversa’s plea agreements in federal court hint others were involved.
And then there’s Morello’s body cam video.
Morello and D’Aversa are among at least six law enforcement officers charged in connection with an incident on May 7, 2022, at the Chares B. Webster Detention Center.
It happened after deputies responded to a call about unruly inmates.
Inmates had popped off sprinkler heads to flood the jail in protest of plumbing problems, such as toilets not working. A source tells the I-TEAM it’s not that unusual for inmates to do this to draw attention to something but responding deputies likely did not know that.
EARLIER COVERAGE OF THE CASE:
- Amid jail arrest, cop already faced DUI charge
- 3 more Richmond County lawmen arrested over use of force
- Video sheds light on jail incident that led to deputes’ arrests
- Richmond County jail incident lawsuit moves to federal court
After reviewing body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary.
Now, we learn the woman wearing the camera says she’s guilty of depriving an inmate of his civil rights.
D’Aversa, another now-former deputy, its the same.
Both plea agreements point to a specific moment, seemingly captured on Morello’s bodycam.
Morello is the only female voice you’ll hear.
“Lay then down. Face first, face first,” said Morello in the body cam footage.
Watch a video of the response:
It’s difficult to hear, but the inmate isn’t happy about his face in the water and insinuates he might do something about it – if he wasn’t handcuffed.
The video shows Morello trying to remove the cuffs.
But before the inmate is even able to stand up, you can see he’s punched. Then he’s tackled in a chokehold.
D’Aversa its to shouting about the inmate wanting his handcuffs removed.
Morello itted to trying to get the cuffs off, but she says she was “unsuccessful”, and another deputy actually removed them.
Both say they failed to intervene when the inmate was attacked.
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D’Aversa and Morello each face a possible sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, along with substantial fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
As described in the plea agreements, Morello was a jailer at Richmond County’s Charles D. Webster Detention Center, and D’Aversa was a corporal with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. Both were at the jail on May 7, 2022, working with other Richmond County Sheriff’s Office jailers and deputies to secure inmates who had caused flooding in a section of the jail.
A pretrial detainee, referred to in court documents as Victim 1, was handcuffed face-down in the jail when D’Aversa and Morello shouted to other staff that Victim 1 wanted his handcuffs removed.
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Morello then “attempted to unlock Victim 1′s handcuffs so that another employee would have an excuse to go hands-on with him,” and when Morello was unsuccessful, a deputy listed as Deputy 2 then unlocked and removed the handcuffs.
A deputy listed as Deputy 1 then “repeatedly punched Victim 1 and placed him in a chokehold. … During Deputy 1′s assault on Victim 1,” and both Morello and D’Aversa “failed to intervene to stop or attempt to stop the assault,” despite having the opportunity to do so.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing for D’Aversa and Morello upon completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services.
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