A former Kentucky corrections sergeant, Eric L. Nantell, was sentenced to seven years in prison for failing to stop the beating of an inmate who was handcuffed and shackled, and then subsequently lying to investigators in a cover-up scheme. The incident took place at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, where Nantell was supervising a routine prisoner escort when officers Randall Dennis and James Benish attacked the inmate. Another officer, Jeffery Havens, joined in the assault. Despite witnessing the attack, Nantell did not intervene and instead walked away as the officers continued to beat the inmate. After the inmate reported the assault, Nantell and other officers engaged in a cover-up scheme to hide the truth and misled state detectives, supervisors at the prison, and an FBI agent.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned Nantell’s actions, stating that the cover-up scheme failed and that the Justice Department will continue to hold law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct at all levels. U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky described Nantell’s actions as “disgraceful” and emphasized that he would now face the consequences of his betrayal of responsibility and attempts to undermine genuine law enforcement. Nantell was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice for misleading state investigators and one count of making false statements to an FBI agent. Following a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted him in February. Nantell’s attorney declined to comment on the matter.
In addition to Nantell, officers Dennis, Benish, and Havens were also involved in the assault on the inmate. Dennis and Benish, who were members of the prison’s internal affairs department, as well as Havens, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 60, 27, and 15 months in prison, respectively. They each received two years of supervised release following their prison sentence. The attack on the nonviolent inmate, who was restrained in handcuffs and leg shackles, took place in a prison shower stall in July 2018. Nantell, as a supervising sergeant at the prison, failed to intervene and allowed the assault to continue. The incident highlights the importance of holding law enforcement officials accountable for their actions and ensuring that justice is served in cases of misconduct and abuse of power.
The sentencing of Nantell comes six years after the brutal attack on the inmate, underscoring the lengthy legal process involved in bringing those responsible for misconduct to justice. The victim, who was unarmed and defenseless at the time of the assault, suffered injuries as a result of the beating. The collective efforts of state investigators, the Justice Department, and federal agencies led to the conviction of Nantell and his fellow officers involved in the cover-up scheme. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring that those entrusted with enforcing it are held to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
As Nantell begins his seven-year prison sentence and faces two years of supervised release, the repercussions of his failure to intervene in the inmate assault and his subsequent involvement in a cover-up scheme will follow him for years to come. The Justice Department’s commitment to holding law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct, including those who fail to intervene in unlawful assaults and those who attempt to cover up violations, sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated. Nantell’s actions have had far-reaching consequences, not only for himself but also for the reputation and integrity of the law enforcement profession as a whole. By bringing those responsible for misconduct to justice, the Justice Department and its partner agencies seek to uphold the principles of fairness, transparency, and justice in the enforcement of the law.
