A lawsuit filed against an Appling County Jail guard accuses him of choking a restrained inmate, with the alleged incident caught on video and recently released to the public. The guard, identified as William Rentz, is accused of attacking 37-year-old Tremar Harris while three other jail guards allegedly stood by and watched, as detailed in legal documents from the plaintiff's attorneys.
In the video, which surfaced from a January 2022 confrontation, Harris is seen restrained in a chair, his limbs secured by various restraints. When Harris managed to wiggle one arm free, Rentz, along with other guards, moved to re-restrain him. It was during this scuffle that Rentz is purported to have wrapped what lawyers claim was a chain around Harris' neck, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, although the allegation of racially charged language from Rentz could not be independently confirmed due to the silent nature of the video provided.
According to the legal team representing Harris, the guards present had a fundamental obligation to intervene. "These three officers had a legal and a moral duty to protect Tremar Harris. But they did nothing," civil rights attorney Harry Daniels told WSAV. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation's probe into the affair corroborated claims that Rentz employed a chain in a way that could inflict grave harm.
The accused guard now faces allegations that if substantiated, could reflect some of the darkest elements of our past seeping into the present. Charged with aggravated assault, violation of oath of office, and battery, the charges were later dropped by the local district attorney, however, fueling Harris' pursuit of justice through a civil lawsuit initiated on April 16. Harry Daniels emphasized the accountability expected of law enforcement, "Officers aren’t allowed to watch a violent crime happen even if the criminal is wearing a badge," as per WSAV.
Harris' legal team is demanding a trial by jury and is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged excessive use of force and the claimed inaction of the other officers. As sentiments of unrest simmer within the communities, the eyes of the public rest heavily on the judicial scales, yearning for a balance that has often eluded those taking the stand against uniformed perpetrators.
