POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The Broward County State Attorney’s Office said a 20-year veteran employee of the Broward Sheriff’s Office has been charged with battery on an inmate in connection to a 2020 incident.
Prosecutors on Thursday said that BSO Detention Deputy Delroy Rose “repeatedly” hit an inmate while trying to close a jail cell door at the North Broward Bureau on Oct. 29, 2020. He has been charged with misdemeanor battery.
According to the arrest report, Rose was working in a medical unit when he saw an inmate, whose name was redacted, “throw a cup containing an unknown substance.”
Shortly after, the deputy “attempted to close the door flap” of the cell, but the inmate wouldn’t let it close.
It was then, the report states, that Rose “…retrieved his flashlight and repeatedly struck…” the man’s “hands and fingers” until he was able to close the cell.
The incident involving the 56-year-old deputy and 24-year-old inmate just came to light on Thursday.
This is not the first time similar issues at this jail have been reported. They have been documented by 7 Investigates.
The Pompano Beach facility primarily houses inmates with special needs and mental illness — inmates like 33-year-old Nathaniel Calhoun, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teen.
“I just don’t want to see another person treated like my son was,” said Gordon Calhoun, the inmate’s father.
In a letter sent to Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony by Public Defender Gordon Weekes, dated Aug. 4, Calhoun was accused of spitting in a different deputy’s face.
Weekes said that the deputy then retaliated by “…intentionally pouring bleach and some other chemical substance…” in Calhoun’s cell “…with clear intent to do him harm and as punishment.”
“You do not respond to someone’s mental illness with abuse or torture or trying to chemically subdue them with fumes from bleach,” said Weekes. “That is inappropriate and is borderline criminal.”
Weekes’ letter said Calhoun was “…taken to the hospital in grave condition” in July after losing consciousness.
But in an interview earlier this week, Tony said Calhoun never lost consciousness, was walking and was taken to the hospital hours later.
“What we were able to assess clearly: no one sprayed the inmate with bleach. They cleaned the cell at some point, but he was never sprayed or saturated with any form of chemicals by any of my staff,” said Tony.
In yet another incident, involving a third deputy at the same jail, 7 Investigates obtained surveillance video showing the deputy punching a 4-foot-11 inmate 13 times, using both his right and left fists, before throwing her on the floor.
After a review of the incident, including the video, BSO identified “no misconduct” by the deputy.
Regarding the investigation into the incident involving Rose, he has been suspended without pay. His attorney and the union that represents detention deputies did not immediately respond to 7News’ requests for comment.
Tony released a statement on the matter that reads, “Any allegation of misconduct by an employee of the Broward Sheriff’s Office will be thoroughly investigated. I have made it clear that I have zero tolerance for any abuse of power, and I have demonstrated that commitment time and time again by holding employees to account for their actions. The investigation involving this detention deputy will be no different.”
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