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A former Henry County Jail corrections officer was charged in federal court for using excessive force on an inmate in February.
Federal charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana against 27-year-old Curtis Doughty of Muncie for deprivation of rights under color of law.
On February 13, 2024, Doughty, who was employed as a corrections officer in the jail as well as a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, participated in a scheduled search of an inmate housing pod, according to court documents.
During the search, inmates were moved to a holding area while officers searched the cells for contraband.
Doughty was one of the officers responsible for directing inmates to face the wall and stay seated during the search.
When one of the inmates turned his head away from the wall, Doughty, without warning, reportedly shot him at point blank range with his pepper ball gun, authorities say. The ball hit the inmate in the spine, causing pain.
After shooting the inmate, Doughty yelled to the other inmates in the holding area, “congratulations, you all inhale that now,” referring to the pepper ball gas, according to court documents. The gas caused multiple inmates to cough because it made it difficult for them to breathe.
Other members of the emergency response team reported the incident to a commander, and Doughty was pulled from duty and sent home.
Doughty pleaded guilty on Oct. 11 as part of a plea agreement.
The case is United States of America v. Curtis Doughty, 1:24-cr-187.
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