Two county jail guards fired after inmate beating

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An investigation into allegations that an<br>inmate was beaten resulted in the firing of two Oklahoma County<br>jail guards.<br> <br>Sheriff John Whetsel said he fired the two detention

Thursday, August 26th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An investigation into allegations that an
inmate was beaten resulted in the firing of two Oklahoma County
jail guards.

Sheriff John Whetsel said he fired the two detention guards for
"violating jail policies and procedures." He said he couldn't
release the guards' names because of the ongoing investigation.

Whetsel said the inmate, Greg Ritter, was very combative with
guards, something Ritter denies.

Ritter, 37, of Oklahoma City was arrested by Oklahoma City
police Saturday night on a complaint of driving under the influence
of alcohol.

Ritter, who had a black eye, bruised ribs and numerous abrasions
on his body, told The Daily Oklahoman it was the first time he had
ever been in jail. He said shortly after he was taken to the jail
by a police officer, the guards began asking him if he was
suicidal.

He eventually was put in a cell by himself and ordered to remove
his clothes. After guards saw he wasn't going to take off his
clothes, Ritter said a guard sprayed his face with pepper spray
three times.

"They jumped on me and just started hammering away and beating
the daylights out of me," he said. "One of them was kicking me in
the ribs real good. They shredded my clothes."

Ritter, who is 7 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 275, said
although he wouldn't take off his clothes he wasn't violent and
continued not to talk to the guards.

"I didn't do anything to provoke a fight," Ritter said. "I
just sat there."



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