Man sues corrections officers after being ‘choked with a chain’ by Georgia prison guard

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
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In January 2022, Tremar Harris was allegedly assaulted and choked with a chain by a prison guard. Now he’s suing the officers he says stood by and watched instead of stopping it from happening.

According to a lawsuit filed on Harris’ behalf by civil rights attorney Harry Daniels, Harris was choked by prison guard William Rentz while three other guards in the room “watched and did nothing” to stop him. Harris sued Rentz in January, according to his attorney.

At the time of the alleged incident, Harris was “restrained in a restraint chair designed to protect mentally ill inmates from self-harm,” and Rentz put a chain around Harris’ neck to choke him while saying, “Gonna put you back in the cotton field with the other boys,” according to a media release from Daniels.

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Following an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Rentz was found to have “not only wrapped the chain around Harris’ neck, but had also pulled ‘them towards Harris’ throat in a manner which was likely to cause severe injury or death,’” according to Daniels.

The GBI arrested Rentz for aggravated assault, battery and violating his oath of office. He was then booked on those charges at the Appling County Jail, according to the GBI.

An arrest affidavit from the GBI, Rentz “intentionally caused physical harm to Tremar Alonzo Harris by placing leg restraints around the neck of Harris and pulling them towards HArris’ throat in a manner which was likely to cause severe injury or death to Harris.”

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Now, Harris is suing the three other officers alleged to have stood by as Rentz choked Harris, Officers Daydan Brannon, Cannon Mcleod and Ansley Fennell, according to Daniels.

Daniels said in addition to the lawsuit, they are calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the incident, where video shows the jail guards in the room as Rentz chokes Harris with a chain.

“These three officers had a legal and a moral duty to protect Tremar Harris. But they did nothing,” Daniels said in a statement about the lawsuit. “Instead of doing their jobs stopping this unlawful, hateful and sadistic act, they chose to stand and watch as their fellow officer tortured a fellow human being. Officers aren’t allowed to watch a violent crime happen even if the criminal is wearing a badge.”

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the Appling County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the allegations and are waiting on their response.

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