An inmate at the Bartholomew County Jail is facing charges in an alleged battery against a corrections officer. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, says that the alleged incident took place on June 28th.
An investigation by the department found probable cause that 29-year-old Adam Leatherbury, of Columbus, had battered an officer. According to the report, the corrections officer was not hurt and didn’t require medical treatment. The report was turned over to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, which subsequently filed a felony charge of battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety official against Leatherbury.
Authorities say that this is the second case against Leatherbury accusing him of violence towards jail staff. On Jan. 31, Leatherbury allegedly punched another corrections officer and spat in his face. That led to other charges against the inmate.
Authorities say that Leatherbury has been in the Bartholomew County Jail since November of 2016 after being arrested on a Failure to Appear warrant for auto theft. He is being held in lieu of a $122,500 bond.
Sheriff Matt Myers says that incidents such as these magnify the dangers faced by jail staff and other members of law enforcement. “Overcrowding in our jail poses not only greater risk to inmates but also increases risk to our correctional officers who must work in overcrowded conditions,” said Myers. “As our inmate population grows, our Correction’s staff is required to provide more and more services. This overcrowding causes tempers to flare. We continue to see significant increases in our jail population and I am sure we are not going to see a reduction anytime soon.” Sheriff Myers went on to say that regardless of the number of inmates housed at the jail, “we will not allow members of our jail staff to be abused.”
Sheriff Myers has been advocating a need to drastically increase manpower at the Sheriff’s Department, both on the road and at the jail. The Bartholomew County Council is considering tax increases to help fund requests for additional staffing from him, and several county department heads. The council is expected to make a decision on possible increases when it meets Tuesday evening.