Caught on tape: More deputies accused of brutally beating inmate

Mike Deeson
Tampa Bays 10
Mar. 01, 2008

Video HereTampa, Florida- Former teacher Paul King says he used to be one of those people who said lock 'em up throw away the key.

However King has changed his mind since being arrested on public intoxication last July. A video shows deputies pushed him against a glass wall as he was being frisked, threw him to the ground for no apparent reason, held his neck back more than 2 minutes as he was being put into a restraint chair, put a hood over his face and then appeared to try to hide the action from cameras by moving paperwork to cover his head.

King says it's something like out of Guantanamo.

King says when he was out of camera view, two deputies took him out of the restraining chair and says they both started kneeing him up against a bench or a wall, as he was pleading please, please, please.

But it didn't stop there. King says they made him say you're a f***ing p***y. And he says they were hurting him so he said “ I'm a f***ing p****y and the deputies all laughed.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has ordered an inquiry into all the allegations, however a spokesman for the McCollum says it is too early to determine whether these are isolated incidents or there is a pattern of abuse occurring.

But despite the fact the attorney general and the sheriff's office each launched separate investigations, some have said they fear this is an attempt to sweep things under the rug rather than to find the truth.

Attorney John Trevena, who represents some of the people claiming abuse, met with McCollum's office on Thursday and says he believes there is a need for federal oversite in this. Trevena says he hopes he is wrong but he is losing confidence in the state's ability to handle this.

And those who claim they have been abused in the jail are losing confidence in the system. King says when he was going through this he thought it was something like the Orwell novel, "1984." King says they can do whatever they want.

And critics say right now no one is stopping them.