Corrections1 Staff
COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — A man is suing Cocke County for excessive force, alleging a corrections officer picked him up and slammed him to the floor while he was handcuffed and being processed into the jail.
Body camera footage published by WBIR shows plaintiff Jerry Miller being led into the jail and being asked by a corrections officer to stand against a wall to be photographed.
Miller and the corrections officer argue, with Miller verbally resisting getting photographed, at one point telling the CO “make me.”
“I f***ing will, buddy,” the video shows the officer saying, reaching into Miller’s right pocket.
Miller can be heard saying, “You don’t get my wallet.” The CO responds, “Yeah, I got your wallet.” When Miller responds, the CO grabs Miller by the neck and slams him to the ground, according to the video.
“I’ll get your f***ing wallet,” the CO says. “You don’t stop me from doing s***.”
The lawsuit alleges Miller suffered a punctured lung and eight broken ribs as a result of the incident, WBIR reports. He also claims he was denied proper medical care until he was released the morning after the incident.
In its response to the suit, Cocke County originally claimed Miller resisted and “(reasonable and appropriate) force was used to restrain and control him,” WBIR reports. After the body camera footage was released, Cocke County’s attorney told Miller’s attorney they would amend their answer to the complaint admitting that excessive force was used and that Miller was not physically resisting the officer.
Miller was initially arrested for interfering with a 911 call after he allegedly pulled wires out of a phone while his girlfriend was calling about a disturbance, WBIR reports. He is asking for $5 million plus additional damages.