Ex-Fulton jailer pleads to using excessive force against inmate

SMYRNA – A local woman who worked as a Fulton County jailer pleaded guilty in federal court to using excessive force against an inmate.

Denita Renae Shaw, 41, of Smyrna, Ga., faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced on May 4 by U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester.

Authorities say Shaw on Jan. 26, 2009, struck a handcuffed inmate in the head with a milk crate at the Fulton County Jail.

“This officer violated the Constitution and her oath of office when she assaulted a handcuffed inmate,” Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a statement. “Now she faces the reality of becoming an inmate.”

Shaw was fired following the incident and indicted Dec. 8 by a federal grand jury.

“The inhumane treatment of persons in custody must cease. This case continues to show that excessive force and the disregard of policies and procedures at the Fulton County Jail will not be tolerated,” Fulton County Sheriff Ted Jackson said in a statement. “When the civil rights of inmates are violated, we will pursue criminal charges and coordinate with federal authorities to prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.”