Former jail guard Eugene Sellie of Schenectady, NY, pleaded guilty to felony assault and misdemeanor official misconduct.
Former New York Jail Guard Gets 6-Month Sentence In Jain After Beating A Detainee
An Ex Schenectady jail guard who beat and seriously injured a detainee has been convicted to six months behind bars, to the dismay of prosecutors who sought a stiffer sentence. In November 2020, Eugene Sellie pleaded guilty to felony assault and misdemeanor official misconduct charges beating John Mannarino. Moreover, while prosecutors had proposed a plea deal involving four years in state prison, Sellie instead took a different offer from Glens Falls City Court Judge Gary Hobbs. The former guard admitted to all the charges in exchange for a six-month sentence to be served in jail.
According to Hobbs that he doesn’t believe that the disposition is inconsistent with justice, noting that Sellie had no prior convictions and hadn’t previously been accused of beating detainees. Sellie’s lawyer, Andrew Safranko, told that the appeal provides certainty to Eugene, his family, and the community. But Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney said the verdict, which includes five years probation, doesn’t reflect the gravity of harm that Sellie caused.
“This was an unprovoked assault on a prisoner, which caused life-threatening injuries,” Carney said. Selfie bring Mannarino into a changing area without any surveillance cameras and assaulted him after the victim complained that officers were taking too long to process his arrest, authorities said.
The Detainee Suffered Several Injuries
Mannarino suffered from a broken collar bone, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung after being dismissed without any medical help and then he just collapsed on a nearby sidewalk. A parole officer caught Mannarino and aided him. Mannarino sued the county and settled the case for $562,500 last fall.
Seller together with his supervising sergeant, Timothy Bruce, were both terminated shortly after the attack. On Tuesday, Bruce pleaded guilty to misdemeanor official misconduct and was ordered to pay a fine worth $500. Kevin Luibrand Mannarino’s lawyer said Mannarino had anticipated more serious consequences for the beating but still appreciated that charges were filed against the jail guard who beat him.
Lastly, according to Mannarino’s attorney that his client is not expressing criticism toward anyone other than the officer who beat him with a broke his ribs and assaulted him and those who covered it up.
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