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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