A black Georgia inmate is suing several jail guards after footage emerged of him being strangled with a chain and being told he would be put in a “cotton field.”
Tremar Harris, 37, filed a lawsuit against jail guards Daydan Brannon, Cannon Mcleod and Ansley Fennell for allegedly standing still and watching Officer William Rentz choke him with metal handcuffs, according to court documents.
Footage from a small room at the Appling County Jail shows Harris tied to a chair by his wrists, ankles and torso as the four defendants surrounded him.
Harris had reportedly freed his right arm from the chair, prompting Rentz to use extreme measures to restrain it, according to the lawsuit.
The video shows Rentz picking up the handcuffs and placing them over Harris’ neck, causing him to struggle to breathe.
Tremar Harris, 37, filed a lawsuit against jail guards Daydan Brannon, Cannon Mcleod and Ansley Fennell for allegedly standing still and watching Officer William Rentz strangle him with metal handcuffs.
Footage from a small room at the Appling County Jail shows Harris pinned to a chair by his wrists, ankles and torso as the four defendants surround him.
While Rentz (pictured) has not been sued, he has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault, battery, and violation of oath of office. He has also been fired from the Appling County Sheriff’s Office.
Rentz is then seen leaning into the victim’s face and saying something while holding the metal chain tightly over his neck.
According to court documents, Rentz told Harris that he would “return him to the cotton field and the other children” would infer that Harris was a slave laborer.
The lawsuit alleges that while Brannon, Mcleod and Fennell had the “ability, opportunity, ability and time to prevent and immediately stop Rentz from strangling Harris,” they instead chose to “wait and watch” and did not intervene.
Additionally, the three have also been charged with “failing to document or report the unlawful use of force.”
While Rentz has not been sued, he has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault, battery, and violation of oath of office. He also was fired from the Appling County Sheriff’s Office.
The lawsuit alleges that while Brannon, Mcleod and Fennell had the “ability, opportunity, ability and time to prevent and immediately stop Rentz from strangling Harris,” they instead chose to “wait and watch” and did not intervene.
Harris was being held on remand at the Appling County Jail and was in solitary confinement at the time of the incident.
Harry Daniels, Harris’s civil rights attorney, later said, “These three officers had a legal and moral duty to protect Tremar Harris.” But they didn’t do anything.
“Instead of doing their job to stop this illegal, hateful and sadistic act, they decided to stay and watch their fellow officer torture another human being.”
The lawsuit also claims that Harris has suffered “economic damages, severe mental anguish, emotional and physical distress” due to the event.
The victim is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and has demanded a jury trial. A hearing date has not yet been set.
Harris was being held on remand at the Appling County Jail and was in solitary confinement at the time of the incident.