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Sheriff: Jailer seen on video slamming handcuffed inmate to the ground is now charged

The inmate has filed a civil suit after he claims he suffered 8 broken ribs & a punctured lung because of the "excessive force."

COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — A former corrections officer who can be seen on video slamming a handcuffed man down to the floor is now charged.

Body camera footage obtained by 10News on Thursday shows the incident as it happened in February 2019 from the perspective of the officer who brought Jerry Miller into the Cocke Co. jail.

You can hear Miller exchanging words with corrections officer Kelton Townsend, 29, before Kelton appears to grab Miller by the neck and slam him to the ground with a loud thud. According to a lawsuit filed by Miller, he suffered eight broken ribs and a punctured lung in the incident.  

(Warning: Video contains graphic language and content)

In a press release Friday, Cocke County Sheriff Armando Fontes said he recently received the video showing the use of "excessive force on an inmate."

Fontes said he immediately turned the video over to the District Attorney’s Office and launched an internal criminal investigation.

RELATED: Lawsuit filed after body cam video shows corrections officer slam handcuffed man to the ground

Townsend has now been charged with aggravated assault and official oppression. 

"We believe in training, having our officers follow appropriate standards in the use of force, and the protection of all persons. It is unfortunate that this former employee acted outside the scope of the Sheriff’s Office use of force training and policy," said Fontes in the release.

Townsend was arrested on Friday and is being held on a $50,000 bond at the Cocke Co. Jail. 

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