CLEVELAND — A Cuyahoga County grand jury has indicted five corrections officers during an investigation of three separate incidents that occurred between July, 2018 and March, 2019.
The first incident took place on July 16, 2018. Idris-Farid Clark sprayed an inmate with pepper foam after the inmate was placed in a restraint chair by Robert P. Marsh, who also assaulted the inmate.
- Clark is charged with Felonious Assault (F2), Assault (M1), Interfering with Civil Rights (M1) and Unlawful Restraint (M3)
- Marsh is charged with Assault (M1), Interfering with Civil Rights (M1) and Unlawful Restraint (M3)
Martin Devring was the corrections officer on duty on August 28, 2018. Prosecutors say he failed to secure a portion of the facility and falsified record logs by stating area was under control. It turns out that inmate Joseph Arquillo was was in medical distress. Hours later, Arquillo was pronounced dead at MetroHealth medical center of a drug overdose.
- Devring is charged with Tampering with Records (F3), Dereliction of Duty (M2) and Interfering with Civil Rights (M1)
The final incident happened on March 22, 2019. Nicholas D. Evans and Timothy M. Dugan were indicted for using excessive and unreasonable force against an inmate in a restraint chair. The inmate was later diagnosed with a concussion.
- Evans is charged with Felonious Assault (F2), Unlawful Restraint (M3), Tampering with Evidence (F3) and Interfering with Civil Rights (M1, 2 counts)
- Dugan is charged with Felonious Assault (F2), Unlawful Restraint (M1) and Interfering with Civil Rights (M1, 2 counts)
The jail in downtown Cleveland has been under scrutiny since the deaths of eight prisoners last year.
A report by the U.S. Marshals Service called conditions at the jail "inhumane" and unsafe.
Cuyahoga County Director of Communications Mary Louise Madigan tells WKYC that the county "has been cooperating and will continue to cooperate" with the investigation.
Clark, Marsh, Devring, Evans, and Dugan will all be arraigned on April 22nd.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.