Four Henry County Sheriff’s deputies fired after inmate force investigation

HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - UPDATE: The four Henry County Sheriff’s deputies suspended for use of force towards an inmate on July 5 have been fired as of Friday, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

After an internal investigation, the office has concluded that all four deputies violated multiple agency policies.

The incident has been sent to a special prosecutor to determine if any criminal charges are applicable.

ORIGINAL STORY: Four Henry County Sheriff’s deputies have been suspended until further notice during a “use of force” investigation, according to Sheriff Wayne Davis.

At a Friday night news conference (watch above), Davis said in the early morning hours of July 2, a man who had been arrested for being drunk in public was intoxicated and uncooperative while being processed into the Henry County Adult Detention Center, and wouldn’t get into his jail uniform.

Davis further said four deputies responded by using excessive force against the inmate, who was taken to a hospital for treatment, then released.

The deputies have been suspended without pay. No names have been released.

This incident took place shortly after Davis was sworn in as sheriff, and he says his actions are what he believes the public expects of a transparent law enforcement agency.

Davis also said a recent need to hire deputies meant a lowering of the required age to be hired to 19, but with this incident, he has raised the mandatory age back to 21. He did not provide the ages of the suspended deputies.

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