Feds: Ex-TDOC officers who beat mentally ill inmate and the corporal who helped cover it up face charges, prison

Cassandra Stephenson | Jackson Sun

A fourth former Tennessee Department of Corrections officer pleaded guilty to involvement in the February assault of a mentally ill inmate at a Tiptonville prison. Another former officer and a corporal allegedly involved in the assault face additional charges in a new indictment.

Five officers at the Northwest County Correctional Complex entered the cell of a man on suicide watch and took turns repeatedly punching him "like a pinata" without cause, according to the office of U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.

The officers and corporal conspired to cover the cell's surveillance camera and shift the blame for the inmate's injuries, according to multiple Department of Justice news releases.

Former officer Jonathan York was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of conspiracy to cover up use of unlawful force. Corporal Tommy Morris faces charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and civil rights violations.

Cadie McAlister, 21, is the fourth former officer to plead guilty for her role in the incident. Carl Spurlin, Jr., 42, Tanner Penwell, 22, and Nathaniel Griffin, 29, previously pleaded guilty in connection to the assault.

A bloody assault

The man was already bleeding when five corrections officers entered his cell in Northwest County Correctional Complex's mental health unit on Feb. 1.

Accounts of what the inmate did next vary — one officer said the man flung blood toward the officers. Another stated the man remained seated on a bench but started spitting.

One thing is certain: by the time the officers left his cell, the man was injured, bleeding more profusely than before.

In a new indictment, York is accused of telling Spurlin to "violate the camera."

Spurlin reported in his guilty plea that he hesitated but did cover the cell's surveillance camera with his hand after York repeated the command and another supervising officer failed to intervene.

York allegedly punched the man between 20 and 30 times before telling Penwell to "get him" or "get you some," according to officer accounts. Penwell punched the man between four or five times in the head. Griffin also punched the man multiple times after he said the inmate spit on his arm.

Meanwhile, McAlister stood in the doorway, leaving only to fetch some paper towels at another officer's request, according to a Department of Justice news release. The officer wet the paper towels and Spurlin used them to cover the camera in lieu of his hand.

At least two of the officers stated that the man never fought back during the assault, only raising his arms in an attempt to protect his face.

The cover up

After the officers left the man injured in his cell, they worked together to come up with a "cover story," according to the DOJ.

Morris allegedly encouraged the officers to cover up the incident, according to his indictment. Griffin, Penwell, York and Morris agreed to say that the inmate had injured himself, as he was already on suicide watch when they entered the cell, according to Griffin and Penwell's statements.

Penwell stated that York later told him to place blame for the man's injuries solely on Griffin.

McAlister, tasked with updating the mental health unit's logbook, neglected to document the entire incident.

She left out the five officers' entry into the man's cell, and omitted the assault and violation of the cell's camera. The log has no record of the inmate remaining in the cell, bloody, after the officers left.

Charges, guilty pleas and sentencing

The FBI's Memphis Division investigated the incident with cooperation from the Tennessee Department of Corrections. It's not clear when the FBI's investigation began.

Governor Bill Lee toured the facility, which is known for its education options for inmates, in March.

McAlister faces up to three years in prison for concealing her fellow former officers' actions.

If convicted, York faces up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Morris faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation charge, five years for the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years for each count of obstruction of justice.

Penwell and Griffin each face up to 10 years in prison for using unlawful force on an inmate.

"Correctional officers must abide by and adhere to the same laws they take an oath to uphold and enforce," Dunavant stated in a news release.

Spurlin will be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2020. Griffin will be sentenced on Jan. 16. Penwell's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Reach Cassandra Stephenson at ckstephens@jacksonsun.com or at (731) 694-7261. Follow Cassandra on Twitter at @CStephenson731.