Detention officer acquitted in teenager’s death

MIAMI – A former juvenile detention officer has been acquitted in federal court of charges stemming from the death of a 17-year-old in a beating by other inmates.

Court records show that jurors in Miami federal court found 36-year-old Antwan Lenard Johnson not guilty Tuesday of conspiracy and deprivation of Elord Revolte’s rights while incarcerated.

Prosecutors had said Johnson used bounties and rewards, such as candy and other snacks, to encourage inmates at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center to use violence to punish bad behaviour by other inmates.

Investigators said Revolte was assaulted by other juveniles in August 2015 because of challenges to Johnson’s authority.

John was fired after his April 2018 arrest. It wasn’t known whether he was eligible to return to work.

The other juvenile inmates who attacked Revolte were never charged.