A former corrections officer from Henry County Jail, Curtis Doughty, age 28, from Muncie, has received a sentence of two years probation after entering a guilty plea for deprivation of rights under color of law. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the incident occurred during a routine search of an inmate housing pod on February 13, 2024. Inmates were relocated to a recreational holding area and instructed to sit and face the wall during the procedure.
In the course of ensuring compliance, Doughty fired his pepper ball gun at point-blank range into the spine of an inmate identified only as M.F. - who had merely turned his head away from the wall, resulting in injury. Following the discharge, Doughty reportedly exclaimed, "congratulations, you all inhale that now" to the other inmates, indicating the pepper spray released into the air. The response from his team was swift, with other SERT members reporting the incident to their commander; Doughty was promptly relieved from duty.
Doughty, who had undergone extensive training in various physical and defensive tactics, SERT methodologies, and jail officer protocol was well-versed in the "response to resistance ladder" which mandates the presence of active resistance by an inmate to justify such force. However, in the case of M.F., there was no resistance, rendering Doughty’s actions a clear departure from protocol, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, John E. Childress, stressed the repercussions of such misconduct stating, "When a corrections officer takes the law into their own hands and uses excessive force to punish inmates, they endanger not only that inmate, but they create a greater incentive to resist rather than cooperate, and thereby endanger their colleagues as well." As for the accountability of law enforcement officials, FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans added, "When correctional officers act with such disregard for those in their care, it is a betrayal of the oath they took to protect, not harm." These comments highlight the broader implications of Doughty's actions within the justice system, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The FBI conducted the investigation into the incident, with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office providing additional assistance. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Carolyn A. Haney prosecuted the case. With Doughty’s sentencing, a message has been clearly conveyed regarding the non-negotiable nature of upholding civil rights and the dignity of all individuals, including those behind bars.
