ST. LOUIS (AP) - An officer at a St. Louis jail that has been the scene of recent riot and other unrest opened a cell door for two inmates who beat up another inmate, court records say.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the guard, 38-year-old Demeria Thomas, and the inmates, 39-year-old Antonio Holt, and 39-year-old Kevin Moore, were each charged Friday with one felony count of third-degree assault.
Surveillance video showed Holt and Moore, who were jailed on robbery charges, speaking with Thomas before Holt walked toward the victim’s cell at the St. Louis City Justice Center. Thomas then pressed a button that opened the victim’s cell door, charging documents say.
“Thomas looks directly toward the victim’s cell and watches as the assault occurs,” Officer Brandon Clark wrote in a probable cause statement. “Further, when other inmates attempt to walk downstairs toward the victim’s cell, seemingly to see what is occurring, she tells them, “Stay where you are.’”
Thomas didn’t report the assault, which wasn’t discovered for two days. The victim was later hospitalized for a broken jaw and a suspected concussion, charges say.
Thomas’ lawyer, Terry Niehoff, denied that Thomas watched the assault and said she broke it up as soon as she realized what was happening.
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