By C1 Staff
PHILADELPHIA — An officer shown in a video tape repeatedly striking a handcuffed inmate was disciplined according to his race, states the prison union.
Philly.com reports that the officer, James Weisback, was recommended a five-day suspension by the prison warden. The recommendation is pending approval from Prisons Commissioner Louis Giorla.
But the president of the local union says this is just another example of preferential treatment given to white officers.
Lorenzo North, president of District Council 33, Local 159, said that black officers accused of excessive force have “commonly been disciplined for 10, 20 or even 30 days based upon no evidence greater than the word of a supervisor.”
North alleges that the prison warden, Michele Farrell, “had every intention of sweeping the incident under the rug until the media obtained a copy of the video of the alleged assault.”
Prison Spokeswoman Shawn Hawes said that Farrell’s discipline “was not represented properly” and said his assertions were hearsay.
The incident in question involves inmate Jonathan Akubu, who intentionally flooded his cell on Sept. 20 and then used his commissary box to bang on the glass window in his cell door. Weisback ordered Akubu to stop numerous times, but eventually had to pepper spray him when Akubu failed to obey.
Akubu was then cuffed by two other officers, Tracy Grant-Pratt and Tryee Holmes-Irvin, to be transported for medical treatment. Akubu spat in Wesiback’s face during this process. Weisback then “had a mental break and in defense pushed inmate Akubu’s face and put him in a head lock and struck him multiple times with a closed fist,” according to an incident report.
Commissioner Giorla stated that the two escorting officers also were found to have violated policies for removing Akubu without authorization and for excessive force.
Their disciplinary action is also awaiting a disposition from the commissioner’s office.