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Old December 12th 05, 03:05 PM posted to alt.child-support
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Default New Jersey: Family: Jail beating left man impaired


Of course the outcome will fit the "best interests of the state"
guideline that all child support matters do.

- Ron ^*^


wrote:

Family: Jail beating left man impaired
Saturday, December 10, 2005
By Pete McCarthy


WOODBURY -- A 26-year-old man held at the Gloucester County Jail for
not paying child support and some traffic tickets suffered eye damage
and now walks with a limp after being attacked - unprovoked - by
officers there, his family said on Friday.

Two corrections officers have been suspended with pay pending the
outcome of an internal investigation of the incident, said Gloucester
County Department of Corrections Director Robert Balicki.

Although the inmate, identified as Timothy Shaffer, has since posted
bail and been released, his father said he was left to deal with
medical problems,

The officer or officers "slammed him against the wall and then brought
my son to the floor," George Shaffer said. "He made no attempt to
strike back. All he did was cover up.

"Where does a corrections officer get off beating him?"

The alleged incident occurred while Shaffer was inside his cell on Nov.
19, said Balicki. One of the officers is accused of pulling Shaffer off
his bunk while the other looked on, the director said.

At present, no physical evidence has linked the two officers to the
alleged attack.

Although video cameras record activity in the jail, Balicki said
cameras were not pointed in the direction of Shaffer's cell at the
time.

Neither officer was identified Friday. Balicki said that one was hired
at the county jail in 1998 and the other has been there since 2002
after previously working at Camden County's jail.

The county Prosecutor's Office investigated the allegations and decided
not to press criminal charges against the two officers, Balicki
confirmed on Friday.

Now, he said, his office will undergo its own investigation to
determine whether any further action should be taken against the
officers.

"Until we find out exactly what happened, this is the prudent thing to
do," Balicki said. "We're taking appropriate action to safeguard
everyone involved."

The story differs when it comes to the injuries suffered by Shaffer.

Balicki described them as "a black eye and a couple of lumps" -- noting
that the inmate was treated at Underwood-Memorial Hospital.

Shaffer's father said his son was taken to the hospital and returned to
the jail that same night, but "they did nothing for 10 days to treat
him."

Since his release from the county jail, the 26-year-old Shaffer has
seen several doctors, his father said.

"It sounds to me like that jail is out of control," said George
Shaffer. "Why don't they have any control in there?"

The elder Shaffer said he took his son to the Woodbury police station
on Friday to file a complaint against the corrections officers.

On average, said Balicki, he receives three complaints a month from
inmates who allege "this officer did something to me."

Each one is investigated and appropriate action is taken, according to
Balicki.

"The facts will determine what happens here," he said.

Balicki gave no timeline on how long the investigation would take.