Former Fulton County Detention Officer Sentenced to 48 Months for Civil Rights Violation

Atlanta, GA – A former detention officer with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Monique Clark, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for depriving a detained woman of her civil rights through the use of unreasonable force. Clark, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in March.

Court documents reveal that Clark strangled a handcuffed female arrestee into unconsciousness during intake processing at the Fulton County North Annex Jail. Clark admitted in his plea that he was aware the woman posed no threat to officers and knew that Sheriff’s Office policy strictly prohibited the use of chokeholds or neck restraints except in life-or-death situations.

“This defendant’s violent assault on a handcuffed arrestee rendered her unconscious and is simply inexcusable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Using such a dangerous technique gratuitously is especially disturbing. The Justice Department is committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for the use of excessive force and to protecting the rights of people in custody.”

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia added, “Instead of carrying out his mission to ensure the safety and security of detainees in his custody, Clark abandoned his oath of office when he used excessive force to strangle a pre-trial detainee without cause. Law enforcement officers who violate their professional duties are not above the law.”

Executive Assistant Director Michael A. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch emphasized, “Mr. Clark took a sworn oath to uphold the rights of others. He violated that oath when he abused and strangled a female inmate. Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the FBI will relentlessly work to hold accountable anyone who takes an oath to protect others.”

The case was investigated by the FBI Atlanta Field Office and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Professional Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret Hobson for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

A Bunk Bed With Striped Linen Behind BarsPhoto byRDNE Stock Project