Former Kentucky corrections sergeant Eric L. Nantell, 48, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for failing to stop the beating of an inmate who was handcuffed and shackled, as well as lying to investigators in a cover-up scheme. The assault took place in July 2018 at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, where Nantell was a sergeant supervising a routine prisoner escort procedure. Officers Randall Dennis and James Benish, as well as entry-level officer Jeffery Havens, attacked the nonviolent inmate who was lying face down in restraints in a prison shower stall. Nantell watched as the officers punched and kicked the inmate, then walked away as the assault continued. Nantell and other officers then engaged in a cover-up scheme to hide the truth of the assault but were unsuccessful. Nantell was found guilty of two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements, leading to his conviction in a federal trial.
After the inmate reported the assault, Nantell and other officers came up with a “cover-up scheme to hide the truth” and lied to state detectives, supervisors at the prison and an FBI agent. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated that the Justice Department will continue to hold law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct, including those who carry out unlawful assaults, fail to intervene to stop them, and attempt to cover up the violations. U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky condemned Nantell’s actions as “disgraceful” and emphasized that he now faces the consequences of his betrayal of responsibility and attempts to undermine genuine law enforcement. Nantell’s attorney declined to comment on the case, while the other officers involved in the assault had previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences and supervised release terms.
The sentencing of Eric L. Nantell comes six years after the vicious attack on the inmate in the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex. Nantell, who was a sergeant at the prison, stood by as officers Dennis and Benish, along with Officer Havens, assaulted the nonviolent inmate who was restrained in a shower stall. Nantell witnessed the officers punching and kicking the inmate before walking away as the assault continued. The subsequent cover-up scheme involving Nantell and other officers was unsuccessful in hiding the truth of the assault, leading to Nantell’s conviction on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements. The other officers involved had previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences and supervised release terms for their roles in the assault.
Eric L. Nantell was found guilty in a federal trial after lying to investigators and participating in a cover-up scheme to conceal the assault on the inmate. Nantell, who was a sergeant at the prison, failed to intervene to stop the assault by officers Dennis, Benish, and Havens, who were found guilty of attacking the nonviolent inmate while he was handcuffed and shackled. Nantell was sentenced to seven years in prison and will be on two years of supervised release following his sentence. The Justice Department, including Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky, emphasized the importance of holding law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct, including those who engage in unlawful behavior, fail to intervene, or attempt to cover up violations. Nantell’s conviction is a result of his involvement in the assault and subsequent cover-up scheme, which ultimately failed to conceal the truth of the incident.
Nantell’s actions during the assault on the inmate in the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex were deemed “disgraceful” by U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV, who stated that Nantell now faces the consequences of betraying his responsibility and attempting to undermine the principles of genuine law enforcement. The assault, which took place in July 2018, involved Nantell, officers Dennis, Benish, and Havens, attacking a restrained inmate in a prison shower stall. Nantell stood by and watched as the officers assaulted the nonviolent inmate before participating in a cover-up scheme to conceal the truth of the incident. Despite their efforts, the cover-up scheme failed, leading to Nantell’s conviction on obstruction of justice and false statement charges. Nantell’s attorney declined to comment on the case, while the other officers involved had previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences and supervised release terms for their roles in the assault.
