Fired Arkansas deputy said he used Taser on curious inmates

BENTONVILLE -- A Benton County sheriff's deputy was fired in July after he admitted he used a Taser on three inmates because they wanted to know how it felt.

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An investigation into a complaint that Sgt. James Sharp used a Taser on the inmates began July 15. Sharp also was investigated in connection with accusations he provided tobacco to inmates on work detail. Sharp was in charge of the inmate work detail, according to jail documents.

Sheriff Meyer Gilbert fired Sharp after the investigation was finished. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette learned about the investigation from a tip.

Detectives interviewed inmates Derrick Williams, Donald Ames and Rueben Ames. They denied Sharp used a Taser on them, according to jail documents.

Sharp, though, admitted during an interview that he used the Taser on the three inmates, according to jail documents. Sharp said the inmates were remodeling a floor at the sheriff's office one Saturday when one asked how it felt to be shocked, according to jail documents.

The other two inmates also asked about being shocked and asked Sharp to use the Taser on them, according to Sharp, jail documents state.

Sharp said he removed the Taser cartridge and gave each inmate a dry stun on their leg that lasted 2 seconds each, according to jail documents.

Dry stunning is when the Taser is held against the person's skin instead of the cartridge being fired from the Taser.

Sharp said he knew he should not have used the Taser on the inmates, according to jail documents.

He also admitted that he provided work detail inmates with dipping tobacco to reward them for their work.

Lt. Ed Motsinger with the sheriff's office said when the three inmates were confronted with Sharp's admission, they maintained Sharp did not use a Taser on them.

There was a concern the inmates were using the information about being shocked to force Sharp to provide them tobacco products, Motsinger said. He said Sharp denied giving any inmate tobacco at the jail, and the three inmates denied receiving tobacco from Sharp.

Motsinger said deputies cannot provide inmates tobacco at the jail or when they are away from the jail on a work detail.

Deputies and K-9s searched the work detail area at the jail but did not find any tobacco at the facility, Motsinger said.

Gilbert talked with Nathan Smith, Benton County's prosecuting attorney, about whether criminal charges should be pursued against Sharp. Smith declined to pursue charges, according to jail documents.

"The behavior of the officer in this case was unquestionably improper and resulted in his termination," Smith said. "The primary factor in deciding not to pursue criminal charges was the fact that the inmates themselves requested that the officer tase them. While that does not justify the officer's conduct, I do believe that this fact would prevent a jury from finding the officer guilty of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt."

Smith said the issue should be resolved through the personnel process at the sheriff's office rather than through a criminal prosecution.

"Some things can be incredibly foolish and not be criminal," Smith said. "This is an example of that."

Sharp worked for the jail from Oct. 10, 2004, to April 7, 2007, when he resigned. He was rehired Jan. 7, 2013, and worked at the jail until he was fired July 15, said Barb Ludwig, the county's human resources director.

State Desk on 09/10/2016

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