A Georgia sheriff's deputy was fired and arrested Monday after she restrained and pepper-sprayed an inmate who spit in her face, authorities said.
Chatham County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Charlesetta Hawkins was charged with cruelty to an inmate after she was caught on video pepper-spraying inmate Jonathan Mahone, the sheriff's office said in a statement, NBC News reported.
Hawkins had punished Mahone for breaking an overhead sprinkler in his cell by placing him in a restraining chair "that was in full view of her superiors and the cameras," the statement said. When Hawkins tried to check on the inmate after he was in the chair for more than an hour, he spit in her face, according to the sheriff's office.
Hawkins responded by pepper-spraying Mahone in the face twice, the sheriff's office said. She didn't wipe the spray from the inmate's face until after 15 minutes had passed, the statement added.
