Former guard at Louisiana prison convicted in inmate beating

BATON ROUGE, La. – A former high-ranking official at Louisiana’s maximum-security prison has been found guilty of beating an inmate who was handcuffed, shackled and not resisting.

The U.S. Department of Justice says a federal jury convicted former Maj. Daniel Davis, 41, of Loranger, on Thursday of wilfully depriving the Louisiana State Penitentiary inmate of his right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.

Evidence showed Davis initiated the beating by yanking the inmate’s leg chains, causing him to fall face-first onto the concrete breezeway. At that point, Davis and other officers punched, kicked, and stomped on the inmate, leaving him with a bloody gash under his eye, a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.

In January, Davis was convicted of conspiring with other officers to cover up the beating by devising a false cover story, submitting false reports documenting that story, tampering with witnesses, and lying under oath. Four other officers pleaded guilty to their roles in the incident and two of them testified at Davis’ trial.

A sentencing date has not been set. Davis faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy and perjury, 10 years for excessive force and 20 years for obstruction of justice.