RICHMOND, VA (WTVR) - A deputy at the Richmond City Jail has been suspended and charged with misdemeanor assault of a jail resident, said Sheriff C.T. Woody.
Deputy Jermaine Dove was investigated after a verbal altercation with prisoner Marquan Pollard turned violent.
The sheriff said his investigation showed that Deputy Dove took matters into his own hands and removed Pollard from the tier where he was being held over to a remote area.
Pollard’s mother, Tonya, said that she received a call from her son last Tuesday, Nov. 29.
He told her that afternoon a deputy had pulled him out of his cell--which is against jail policy--and walked him to a remote section of the jail, where Dove proceeded to beat him.
Sheriff Woody confirmed that this happened. "That's a violation he was not supposed to move him at all regardless of what words exchanged or what was said.”
Woody said the removal was followed by an assault. He said Dove stuck his finger in Pollard's eye and beat him.
"He was thumbed in the eye and then there were some blows exchanged,” said Woody.
The sheriff said blood was drawn but neither man went to the hospital for their injuries. He said that without question that Pollard was a victim in this case.
Woody noted that regardless of what words were exchanged between the two, that law enforcers cannot react unlawfully.
Dove has been suspended without pay for now and charged with a misdemeanor assault, a relief to Pollard's mother.
"He's very upset about it because he didn't deserve that, he didn't do anything,” she said. "That's my son and any mother would feel the same way I feel.”
Pollard is at the jail awaiting sentencing on a drug conviction.
