An Arkansas police officer has been fired after he was caught on video beating a handcuffed inmate in the back of his patrol car, and the police chief says he will refer the case to prosecutors, the Associated Press reports. Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott fired Officer Joseph Harris on Friday, the day after Harris was caught on his patrol car video punching and elbowing inmate Billy Lee Coram and slamming the car door against his head during a transport from a local hospital. In the 12-minute video, Coram is wearing a hospital gown and choking himself with a seatbelt wrapped his neck as the car moves forward. Then Harris pulls over the car, opens the door and punches and elbows Coram several times in the face as he unwinds the belt.
Elliott reviewed the video after receiving a complaint from the county sheriff’s office about the incident. The department also posted the video on its YouTube page and announced the officer’s firing. “I was just shocked and appalled by (Harris’) actions,” Elliott told The Associated Press on Monday. “Based on that conduct, I’m not going to have it and I’m not going put up with it, and immediately terminated him.” Elliott said he didn’t know what injuries Coram sustained from the beating. Coram was being held at the Craighead County jail Monday on escape charges and was wanted on warrants from out of state. He had been taken to the hospital after he told jail staff he had ingested fentanyl. He had attempted to escape at the hospital, but Harris had caught Coram, placing him in the back of his patrol car.
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