Detention Sergeant Charged with Battery
Bryant Brown, a former employee at Boundary County jail, faces a charge of aggravated battery for allegedly assaulting an inmate in January 2023. Charges were filed in September, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 17 at the Boundary County Courthouse.
Two earlier hearings were canceled for unspecified reasons. Brown, 37, had a $50,000 bond set and posted but has not yet entered a plea.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on January 3, 2023, involving an inmate who was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant from Kootenai County and arrested by Bonners Ferry Police Department. The inmate, who was intoxicated, reportedly became verbally abusive and uncooperative toward jail staff.
According to a probable cause affidavit by Sheriff's Detective Brandon Blackmore, after a heated verbal exchange, Brown allegedly shoved the inmate against a glass window in the holding cell and punched him. This caused the inmate's head to strike a brick wall inside the cell.
The inmate tried to stop the blows by grabbing Brown’s arms but did not resist otherwise. The affidavit further states that Brown then grabbed the inmate’s throat with both hands and slammed his head into the brick wall.
"Brown shoved the man against a glass window inside the cell and struck him with a fist, causing his head to hit a brick wall in the cell." - Sheriff's Detective Brandon Blackmore
"Brown then grabbed the man’s throat with both hands and slammed his head into the brick wall." - Sheriff's Detective Brandon Blackmore
Additional Information
- The identities of victims in criminal cases are not published by The Herald.
- Brown's formal response to the charges is still pending.
Author's summary: Bryant Brown, a former detention officer, faces aggravated battery charges for allegedly assaulting an intoxicated inmate during a 2023 jail incident, with his hearing set for November.