2 Hudson Valley Officers Convicted of Brutal Inmate Beating
Two former Hudson Valley officers face decades in prison after they were found guilty of brutally beating an inmate and trying to cover it up.
On Monday in Southern District of New York Court, Kathy Scott and George Santiago Jr., were convicted for the Nov. 2013, beating of Kevin Moore, an inmate at the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill.
A White Plains jury found both guilty of brutality beating up the 54-year-old inmate and falsifying records to cover up the beating. After the beating, Moore spent two weeks in the hospital with facial bone fractures, five broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
According to the evidence introduced at the trial, on November 12, 2013:
Moore was brought to the 1D Housing Unit at Downstate Correctional Facility to be housed overnight. Moore objected to his cell assignment and a verbal dispute ensued between Moore and a group of correction officers.
After Moore yelled, multiple officers, including Santiago, forced Moore to the floor, held him down and repeatedly punched and kicked Moore in the head and body.
At no time did Moore ever try to attack, touch, or even make a threatening gesture toward any of the officers.
While Moore laid defenseless on the floor, Santiago kicked Moore in the face. He also continued to strike Moore after Moore was handcuffed. During the beating, Santiago laughed and taunted Moore.
Scott, 43, of Saugerties, who was then a sergeant and the supervising officer on the scene, was present for the entire beating and did nothing to stop it. Instead, she encouraged it and ordered an officer to hold Moore down on the floor while other officers continued to kick and punch him.
During the beating, Moore repeatedly cried out in pain and begged Scott and the other officers to stop.
After the beating, Scott, Santiago and other officers made up a story that Moore hit an officer, which led to the beating.
To create a phony injury, Santiago hit one of the officers repeatedly on the back with a baton. Scott took photos of the fake injury and filed a use of force report.
Scott and Santiago also repeatedly pressured other officers to lie to investigators about what occurred.
“This verdict should send a loud, clear message to the New York State prison system that the protections of the U.S. Constitution do not stop at the prison wall,” U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said.
Scott and Santiago face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in April.
Three other former Downstate correction officers. Andrew Lowery, Donald Cosman and Carson Morris all recently pleaded guilty to the same offenses.
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