Houston County, Deputies Deny Allegations in Inmate Lawsuit

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The current and former Houston County deputies who are being sued for their part in pressure washing an inmate deny they violated his constitutional rights.

41NBC obtained video of Christopher Holt being pressure washed in his cell on June 9, 2012. In the video, you can see Holt was naked while a pressure washer was pointed toward his body, specifically aimed at his genital area.

In April, two Atlanta attorneys filed a lawsuit in Houston County State Court on Holt’s behalf. It states the deputies involved acted maliciously when they sprayed him for amusement after he defecated on himself in his cell.

Among the allegations, Holt’s lawyers write that Holt was mentally ill and not being properly medicated or treated while being held in the Houston County Jail.

Three deputies, Michelle Becham, Ryan Burleson, and Shannon Perry were fired as a result of the incident. Their lawyer responded to the claims in the lawsuit saying the deputies admit to allowing a pressure washer to be used on the inmate, but deny the other allegations.

Houston County and four other deputies were also named in the suit. In their response, they also denied a majority of the claims, including the above allegations. The county said it’s not responsible for how the deputies behaved.

The case will now move into the discovery phase where both sides will present evidence to the Houston County State Court Judge.

41NBC reached out to the lawyers representing the defendants. One declined to comment on pending litigation. The lawyer representing the county and four of the deputies did not return our calls.