‘Show of force’ at Muscogee County Jail related to moving inmates after weekend fight
A heavy law enforcement presence at the Muscogee County Jail Wednesday afternoon was related to a “normal” inmate transfer, Sheriff Greg Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Trying to quell rapidly spreading rumors of a so-called “riot” at the facility, Countryman said his staff sent extra personnel only to transfer 15-16 inmates from one jail dormitory to another. Multiple sheriff’s cruisers were seen in the jail parking lot just before 2 p.m.
The action resulted from a fight inside the jail over the weekend, prompting corrections officers to separate some of the inmates, he said.
“We had a couple of people to throw food trays on the floor,” he said of the transfer Wednesday, but no violence ensued.
He said extra officers were sent as a show of force to demonstrate to inmates that resistance would be unwise, sending the message, “Don’t act up, because this is not the day for it,” he said.
“Sometimes they get angry on the inside of the jail,” he added.
The transfer is a routine response to separating inmates after a fight, he said: “It’s not a lot to it. It’s nothing but normal.”
Staff writer Sydney Sims contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 2:25 PM.