Former Fulton County Jail Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force Against Inmate and Lying to FBI Agent

EARL GLENN, 47, of McDonough, Georgia, a former lieutenant at the Fulton County Jail, pleaded guilty August 25 in federal court in Atlanta to using excessive force against an inmate in his custody and to lying to an FBI agent about the incident.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “The public deserves to put their trust and confidence in our community’s law enforcement officers, and honorable law enforcement officers deserve that trust and confidence. This former Lieutenant, who was a supervisor at the Fulton County Jail, betrayed and violated that trust and confidence by beating an inmate and lying about it to the FBI. Now he faces federal prison.”

Gregory Jones, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Office, said, “Law enforcement professionals, as part of their basic duties and responsibilities, are sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution and its underlying principles of due process. Those serving in management roles are held to an even higher standard of ensuring that these oaths are followed and that civil liberties are protected. Not only did former Lt. Glenn fail do this, he obstructed the federal investigation looking into this matter. I would hope that others within the law enforcement community would take this as an opportunity to reflect on their own sworn oaths and to remember what it means.”

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the charges and the information presented during yesterday’s plea hearing: GLENN acknowledged that he abused his authority as a law enforcement officer on August 9, 2008, when he unnecessarily and repeatedly struck an inmate who was previously involved in an altercation with another detention officer. GLENN agreed that his conduct resulted in bodily injury to the inmate and violated federal law and the constitutional right of the Fulton County inmate not to be deprived of liberty without the due process of law. Two of GLENN’s fellow detention officers witnessed the incident and eventually reported to federal investigators that GLENN had used excessive force against the inmate. Additionally, GLENN admitted that he lied to a Special Agent with the FBI when he was interviewed about the incident on January 28, 2009.

GLENN is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., on November 6, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. GLENN faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

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