Two jailers indicted in connection to inmate assault
Two Shelby County jailers have been indicted for assaulting a Shelby County Jail inmate in May.
The jailers, Odell Underwood and Reginald Wilkins, allegedly assaulted Damion Francisco Florez Ramirez on May 20, according to a copy of the indictment. Both jailers are charged with official misconduct, official oppression and simple assault causing bodily harm.
Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner announced the indictments during a press conference at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center Tuesday, Nov. 14.
“First of all, I’ll start by reiterating: When I believe officers are right, I will stand by them,” Bonner said. “However, when I believe they’re wrong, I will be the first to ... try to hold them accountable to the full extent of the law. This is one of those cases.”
Mulroy said Florez Ramirez was allegedly assaulted by Underwood and Wilkinson after Florez Ramirez had assaulted another deputy jailer earlier that day.
“He had been placed in handcuffs, had been treated with a chemical agent and was being taken to the medical facility inside the jail for treatment,” Mulroy said. “And at that location, we allege, without justification, the two officers assaulted Mr. Florez Ramirez.”
According to Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, Florez Ramirez suffered from “non-life threatening injuries” to his face. The assault was not captured on video, Hagerman said.
Bonner said the Sheriff’s Office immediately launched an internal investigation, which was followed by a criminal investigation by the General Investigations Bureau.
“Upon conclusion of a criminal investigation, my office immediately presented findings to the district attorney’s office for prosecution,” Bonner said.
Following the alleged assault, the two jailers were initially relieved with pay; after being indicted, they were relieved without pay, Bonner said. The sheriff also indicated they would face departmental charges soon.
“These officers have not upheld the integrity in honor of their badge and do not represent the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office,” Bonner said.
Wilkins has been with the SCSO for 16 years; Underwood has been with the department for 25 years. Both men were issued $20,000 bail and posted bond Tuesday.
Bonner said Florez Ramirez remains in jail. Court records show he was charged in 2020 with two counts of rape of a child.
Bonner said there are “a lot of differences” between this case and that of Gershun Freeman, who died in October 2022 after an altercation with corrections officers.
When Bonner announced in September the indictments against nine corrections officers for their alleged roles in Freeman’s death, the sheriff said he stood behind the officers and would donate to their bail fund.
“It was obvious what happened in Mr. Ramirez’s case,” Bonner said Tuesday. “Mr. Freeman, I respectfully disagree with those officers being charged.”
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Shelby County Sheriff's Office shelby county district attorney general's officeJulia Baker
A lifelong Memphian, Julia Baker graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
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