INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An Indian River County Sheriff’s Correctional Officer has been arrested and placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate his use of pepper spray without justification on an inmate, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”9e2b3c06-52df-11e3-a721-001a4bcf6878″}}
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mario Pratt, a correctional officer, stemming from an Oct. 28 incident that alleges pepper spray was used on an inmate without justification, according to authorities.
Inmate Michael Dudley Palmer reported that Ofc. Pratt sprayed him with pepper spray while he was in his cell, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Ofc. Pratt initially reported that he had a can of pepper spray in his hand as Palmer was kicking his cell door and he thought he might need to use the chemical agent. Pratt noted that the top of the pepper spray can broke and when he returned it to the holder on his belt, a small amount of spray was released. Pratt reported Palmer was not exposed to the pepper spray.
Video of the incident revealed that Pratt removed his pepper spray from his belt, extended his arm in a manner consistent with the deploying of the chemical agent, and pointed it toward the area where Palmer was standing, according to authorities. The video also revealed Dudley Palmer grabbing his face and staggering away from the area as if exposed to the pepper spray.
Pratt was arrested Thursday morning, Nov. 21, a little after 10 a.m. on one count of misdemeanor battery, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He posted the $500 bond and was released about an hour later.
Pratt is currently on administrative leave pending an internal investigation into the incident. He was hired Dec. 12, 2005.