Three South Florida corrections officers are facing second-degree murder charges for their alleged role in connection to the death of 60-year-old inmate Ronald Gene Ingram, who died while being transferred from Dade Correctional Institution, ABC News reports.
Ronald Connor, 24, Christopher Rolon, 29, and Kirk Walton, 34, also face charges of conspiracy, aggravated battery of an elderly adult, and cruel treatment of a detainee.
Ingram was expected to be taken to Lake Correctional Institution when he was allegedly placed in handcuffs and beaten by the officers out of view from surveillance cameras. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials said he had to be carried to the transport van because of how badly he was beaten. He was taken to a secure compartment in the van where he was left by himself, and was found deceased on a bench when the vehicle made a stop in Ocala.
Ingram reportedly threw urine on an officer after being removed from his cell in the mental health unit, FDLE officials said.
A medical examiner said Ingram died from internal bleeding caused by a punctured lung. He suffered injuries to his face and torso that are typically attributed to someone who has been beaten.
“What happened in this case is completely unacceptable and is not a representation of our system, or of Dade Correctional Institution as a whole,” Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon said in a statement. “The staff involved in this case failed, and as an agency we will not stand for this. FDC is committed to providing a safe and professional environment for inmates and offenders. All inmates, regardless of their crimes have a right to serve their time free from victimization and abuse.”
Connor, Rolon, and Walton are being held without bond. FDLE will announce the charges on Friday.
