A Maricopa County jail inmate stands accused of attempting sexual assault after a surveillance video showed him crawling across the floor toward a female resident area, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The inmate, identified as Justin Avery, was initially jailed on allegations of assaulting multiple women at Arizona State University's Tempe campus.
According to court documents cited by FOX 10 Phoenix, the incident unfolded in April at the Maricopa County intake facility where Avery dropped his pants behind a sleeping inmate before a woman's scream alerted security guards, thwarting the alleged assault.
Further details from azfamily.com reveal that Avery had previously been arrested on April 11 for reportedly assaulting five women. The footage from the jail intakes a darker hue, showing Avery, putting force on a woman sleeping on the ground, and gesturing for another inmate who began screaming to be quiet.
"What we have here is a failure on the part of the deputies to do their job properly using the technology they have," said Stan Kephart, a former Arizona police chief, in an interview with azfamily.com. Concerning the lapse in security that the incident highlights and Avery's previous record demanded he should bare special watching, Kephart added.
In a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, MCSO confirmed improvements have followed the incident, including the addition of mirrors to better monitor blind spots and a review of procedures to reinforce the safekeeping of all within the facility's walls. "We acted immediately," remarked an MCSO spokesperson, emphasizing the singular nature of this event since the facility's opening four years prior and the renewed commitment to preventing future occurrences.
Avery is now facing an additional count of sexual assault and is expected to appear in court next week, as the justice system grapples with the implications of his alleged actions and the institutional response to the safety of those behind bars.
