Tulsa jail guard fired for hitting inmate

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The company that runs the Tulsa Jail has fired a guard for allegedly using excessive force on three inmates. <br><br>Corrections Corporation of America identified the guard as Lemuel

Thursday, March 9th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The company that runs the Tulsa Jail has fired a guard for allegedly using excessive force on three inmates.

Corrections Corporation of America identified the guard as Lemuel Whiteside, who joined the company in November. The three uses of force occurred Tuesday, CCA said. The company said it learned of the incidents late that night when one of the inmates told a nurse that he had been assaulted by the officer assigned to the pod.

The nurse notified a shift supervisor who then initiated an investigation, CCA said.

Company spokeswoman Raye Carnes said a preliminary investigation indicates Whiteside violated state jail standards by entering inmates' cells unaccompanied by another detention officer. Whiteside also did not document his use of force, as required by the company, she said.

Tulsa police are investigating the three uses of force as possible assaults. Among other things, Whiteside is alleged to have hit an inmate in the mouth with a walkie-talkie. CCA has a three-year contract to run the Tulsa Jail, which opened in August.