Latest news with #GregoryTony
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Broward Sheriff report sheds new light on inmate fight that led to deputies' arrests
Three Broward Sheriff's detention deputies are facing felony charges after prosecutors say they dragged an inmate off camera, then punched, kicked and Tased her in 2022. But records released by the Sheriff's Office Friday offer a different perspective. The inmate, Samantha Caputo, 38, was outraged about her arrest on a DUI charge in the early hours of that October morning, according to an Sheriff's Office internal affairs report, repeatedly maintaining that she was wrongfully jailed despite being sober. She was combative throughout her time in BSO custody, culminating in her encounter with Sgt. Zakiyyah Polk and deputies Cleopatra Johnnie and Denia Walker. It was Caputo who first tried to punch Polk, the report states, and a BSO use of force expert who analyzed footage of the fight concluded that the deputies' response was justified. The three deputies were arrested last week on one count of second-degree aggravated battery. The jail altercation has since escalated into a wider conflict between the Sheriff's Office and the Broward State Attorney's Office. On Friday, Sheriff Gregory Tony accused prosecutors of 'corruption' and bias in their handling of Caputo's case. He reinstated the deputies and said their arrests were a 'miscarriage of justice.' State Attorney Harold Pryor issued a statement denying Tony's allegations, saying that 'attempts to verbally bully my office or sway public opinion prior to trial will not deter us from seeking justice and striving to do the right thing.' Three Broward detention deputies face aggravated battery charge in 2022 inmate booking Broward sheriff reinstates deputies charged in jail fight, says 'public corruption' led to arrests The series of events began with a traffic stop along Southwest 10th Street in Deerfield Beach just after 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 4, 2022. Caputo's Ford Escape had suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, almost causing a crash, according to Deputy Jose Guzman. He pulled her over and asked why she had stopped, according to the internal affairs report. Caputo said that her shoe had fallen off, so she slammed the brakes. She also told him that she was sick. 'Can you give me a warning?' Caputo asked him at one point, according to the report. 'I literally just paid my insurance.' Guzman noted that Caputo had 'glossy red eyes, slurred speech, disorientation, and lethargy,' according to the report. When he asked if she had been drinking, she said she did not drink but had taken prescribed medication. Guzman then had Caputo perform field sobriety tests, where he noted that she lost balance multiple times and did not follow instructions. Then he handcuffed her. Upset, Caputo repeatedly maintained that she was sober, had passed the sobriety tests, and that Guzman had no right to arrest her. 'It doesn't bother you that it's your job to serve and protect, and you are arresting people that are completely sober?' she asked Guzman at the BAT facility as she waited to take a breathalyzer. Caputo turned the same criticism onto the woman operating the breathalyzer, who repeatedly said 'okay' in response to her comments. 'No, it's not okay,' Caputo said at one point. 'I don't have money for this, and I am being wrongfully accused.' She frequently cursed at both Guzman and the woman. 'It was beyond a task dealing with the subject during processing at the BAT Facility,' the woman later wrote in a report. Caputo had not been drinking, it turned out. She blew a 0.00, but was taken to Broward Main Jail anyway after submitting her urine for testing. The urine later tested positive for amphetamines, corresponding with Caputo's prescribed medication for 'dextroamp – amphetamin,' the generic name for Adderall. Three Broward detention deputies face aggravated battery charge in 2022 inmate booking Broward sheriff reinstates deputies charged in jail fight, says 'public corruption' led to arrests A little after 5 a.m. that morning, Caputo entered Broward Main Jail and was taken to the strip search cell where the fight took place. Polk had already been alerted about Caputo, who 'was likely to be a potential problem,' according to the report, and informed the other deputies. Walker, Johnnie and Polk entered the cell, giving Caputo clothing to change into. Caputo refused to change into a jail-issued bra, Polk told the internal affairs investigator. She then threw her bra at Polk, who caught it, then pushed Caputo back. At that point, Polk said that Caputo 'threw a punch at her.' The three deputies then rushed forwards and Polk pinned Caputo to the wall, at which point Caputo scratched her and bit her thumb, fracturing her bones, Polk said, according to the report, which also includes pictures of her injuries. Johnnie sprayed Caputo with pepper spray while Polk appeared to kick and punch Caputo in the footage. The fight continued until Polk Tased Caputo. The Broward Sheriff's Office internal affairs report vastly differs from Caputo's account in the State Attorney's Office warrant. She said in a sworn statement that she 'never returned any form of physical aggression, and did not strike or bite' the deputies, according to the warrant, and that she was 'in fear for her life.' BSO Sergeant Jeffrey Liotta, a use-of-force expert, reviewed the case and the footage and determined that the deputies' actions were justified, according to the report. His interpretation based on the footage aligned with the deputies' statements. Caputo's level of resistance was 'aggressive resistance,' he said, which authorizes deputies to use tactics like punching and kicking in response. Once Caputo bit Polk, he said, the threat of 'great bodily harm' made her level of resistance rise to potential 'deadly force.' After the fight, Caputo continued to be uncooperative, according to the report, including with the EMT who checked her injuries. She did not sign an Urgent Medical Care Record due to being 'uncooperative, aggressive, patient non-compliant,' the EMT wrote. Caputo spent four days in the hospital following her arrest and had to take antibiotics for a skin infection where the Taser prongs had hit her, according to the warrant. Polk also went to the hospital for her thumb, where doctors diagnosed her with a fracture and wrote that she was exposed to 'blood borne pathogens' due to the bite, the report states. Caputo was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors later reviewed the footage and dropped the battery charge against Caputo in April of 2024, according to Pryor's statement. They wrote in a memo that 'the Deputy claimed that the Defendant bit her right thumb, but the video does not capture the action.' By that point, prosecutors had also dropped the DUI charge. A toxicologist had told them that Caputo's demeanor was not that of someone who had taken stimulants and that she would not be able to testify about the test results, according to a memo. The decision perplexed Guzman, who told the internal affairs investigator that, out of 650 DUI arrests, Caputo's was the only one that the State Attorney's Office had not filed. Guzman recalled talking to Assistant State Attorney Julio Gonzalez, who he said told him the case was dropped because '1) Guzman was not a Drug Recognition Expert at the time of Caputo's arrest, and 2) Caputo was on her period,' the report states. '… Guzman is concerned that the SAO dropped this case and has been left questioning their reasons.' Caputo's attorney, Phil Johnston, did not return texts or voicemails Friday or Saturday. Over the course of their careers, all three deputies regularly received positive evaluations about their conduct with inmates, according to personnel files released Friday. None of the deputies had other documented use of force incidents in their files. Polk received one negative evaluation in 2018, which said she 'needs to work on her interpersonal skills' and 'shows the unwillingness to communicate or be forthwith with supervisors.' She filed a rebuttal to the review, saying it was 'unsubstantiated and baseless' and that the supervisor who wrote it barely interacted with her. Otherwise, Polk frequently received glowing feedback before and after her promotion to sergeant in 2021. As a mental health sergeant in the North Broward Bureau, she trained other deputies in handling 'inmates in crisis,' according to her file. Polk 'has embraced her role and has created a culture where staff and inmates expect leadership, effective communication, and quick resolution to incidents and concerns,' her supervisor wrote in 2024. Johnnie received similarly positive feedback. In a 2024 evaluation, her supervisor wrote that she 'demonstrates strong de-escalation skills, effectively managing tense situations with inmates.' Walker was also frequently praised over her handling of inmates. In 2024, her supervisor wrote that she has 'good interpersonal communication skills that enables her to de-escalate situations that result in a positive outcome and avoid a use of force.' Her file mentions a closed 2017 internal affairs investigation, but no report or further information was included in her file. All three deputies are set to be arraigned in Broward County Court on June 24.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Outraged Broward sheriff lashes out at state attorney for charging 3 deputies
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony blasted the State Attorney's Office for charging three corrections deputies who are accused of battering a woman they booked into jail almost three years ago. Tony said the deputies never should have been charged, that the woman they're accused of beating attacked and injured them and he is reinstating them. 'So, we're moving forward from an internal-affairs standpoint. Our investigation has been completed. All three deputies will be reinstated to full capacity, and they've been either exonerated of these false allegations or it's been unfounded,' he said at a press briefing Friday morning. BSO Sgt. Zakiyya Polk, Deputy Cleopatra Johnnie and Deputy Denia Walker surrendered to BSO last week on aggravated-battery charges stemming from an Oct. 4, 2022, incident involving a woman being booked into jail on a charge of driving under the influence. Each faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the second-degree felony charge. Eric Schwartzreich, Polk's attorney, said she and the other 'detention deputies have not committed any crimes, or any policy violations.' 'As a criminal defense attorney that represents those that find themselves thrust into the criminal justice system, which at times includes deputies, this is the first time that the Sheriff and I have stood in solidarity and both of us agree that these deputies should not be charged with any crimes,' Schwartzreich said in an email to the Miami Herald. 'This is an important case for all of law enforcement. I applaud the Sheriff on his response and for standing up for the men and women who keep us safe.' According to the deputies' arrest warrant, the woman, 38-year-old Samantha Caputo, became argumentative when the deputies told her to remove her bra as she was changing from her personal clothes to her jail uniform. Polk pushed Caputo, and then Johnnie and Walker punched and kicked her several times, the warrant states. Walker and Polk also pepper-sprayed Caputo, and Polk shot prongs into her with her Taser stun gun, according to the warrant. After the struggle, Caputo had a hematoma under her right eye, bruises and a scar from the Taser prongs, the warrant states. The jail nurse treated her for her injuries, and she was hospitalized days later because the Taser wound became infected, according to the warrant. Tony stressed that security-camera footage shows the deputies used an appropriate amount of force in controlling Caputo. He said Caputo 'struck, scratched and bit' one of the deputies, puncturing the skin and fracturing her finger. 'The video is crystal clear that [the deputies] had demonstrated only the level of force necessary to get this individual back into compliance,' Tony said. 'Our standard is reasonable, necessary force in proportion to the threat to that which we face.' Tony struck out at Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor's office for pursuing charges against the deputies yet declining to charge in many cases against deputies and other public employees whom the sheriff's office recommends for prosecution. Referring to Polk, Johnnie and Walker as 'the select three,' Tony questioned why Pryor's office pursued them while ignoring other public-corruption leads from the sheriff's office. 'This is most certainly a miscarriage of justice and exhibits symptoms of public corruption in itself,' Tony said. Tony said that in his two terms he has taken deputy misconduct so seriously that he has fired 141 of them. He said he holds his deputies to strict standards when they use force. Pryor responded in a statement that the State Attorney's Office charged the deputies almost three years after the incident because prosecutors didn't begin looking at the case until Caputo's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss a charge of battery on a law-enforcement officer. Public Corruption Unit prosecutors then viewed the security-camera footage and decided to charge the deputies, Pryor said. They also dropped the battery charge against Caputo, according to court documents. 'All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty. At no time were the detention deputies placed in front of the national media in handcuffs, they were allowed to surrender to the jail at a time that was arranged with their defense attorneys in advance, and they were released from the jail on agreed bonds of $7,500 without going through magistrate court,' Pryor said. Tony said he was outraged the charge against Caputo was dropped. 'You don't get a free pass to strike, injure or harm any of my God damn deputies in this agency,' he said. 'None of them!' Walker's attorney, Jeremy Kroll, told the Herald that he is thankful to Tony for sticking up for the deputies, and that his client is innocent. 'For 10 years, Deputy Walker has been a faithful and honest public servant. We are grateful to the Broward Sheriff's Office for their intellectual honesty in assessing her involvement in the use of force and for clearing her and putting her back to work,' Kroll said. 'We look forward to defending her case in court, and believe there is no legal or factual merit to the charge against her.' Information about Johnnie's legal representation was not immediately available. All three deputies were released from jail on May 29, the same day they surrendered. Tony brought up the case of former Broward Sheriff's Office Deputy Ronald Thurston and other examples of what he said were mishandled cases by Pryor's office. READ MORE: Broward school security specialist is accused of abusing student Thurston was fired for excessive force in 2022. The sheriff's office recommended the State Attorney's Office charge him with battery the previous year, but prosecutors declined. He was arrested three years later on charges of aggravated child abuse and aggravated battery after being hired by Broward County Public Schools to work security at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach. Pryor defended his office's handling of both cases against Thurston. 'Thurston was criminally charged in February of this year on an unrelated matter and is currently facing criminal prosecution by our agency,' Pryor said. 'As with all cases, we will file criminal charges when we have facts and evidence to support them.' This story has been updated to reflect that the deputies surrendered to the Broward Sheriff's Office and were not arrested by the State Attorney's Office, which charged them.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
BSO Sheriff Gregory Tony calls aggravated charges against 3 detention deputies a "miscarriage of justice"
In an impassioned press conference Thursday afternoon, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony condemned what he called a "miscarriage of justice" after three deputies under his command were charged with aggravated battery. Flanked by the deputies' attorneys, Tony defended the deputies' actions and accused the State Attorney's Office of selective prosecution. Tony emphasized the deputies were "in compliance with our rules and regulations" during the incident and accused prosecutors of bowing to political favoritism. "It's appalling to witness this take place here in this community," he said. History of accountability cited Tony recounted his six-year tenure as sheriff, noting he had terminated 141 officers for misconduct submitting 98 cases for prosecution. He listed annual totals of cases referred and declined by the State Attorney's Office, including seven of 14 in 2019, 12 of 16 in 2020, and eight of 13 so far in 2024. "No other sheriff in this state or in this country has demonstrated that level of aggressive nature of holding law enforcement accountable," Tony said. Criticism of State Attorney's actions Tony suggested the charges were politically or personally motivated, asking whether "favors for friends" were at play. He highlighted a prior case where an allegedly abusive deputy was terminated and recommended for prosecution, but charges were declined. Tony also criticized the decision to dismiss a DUI case against the suspect in the current case, attributing the dismissal to the deputy not being a drug recognition expert and the suspect being on her menstrual cycle. "I've yet to see a defense called the menstrual cycle," said Tony, who described himself as a 20-year law enforcement veteran and college professor of criminal justice. Defense of deputies' actions and transparency through video The sheriff stated the suspect arrived at the jail "cranked up on drugs," resisted commands, and assaulted a deputy, including biting with enough force to break bones. Tony asserted that the deputies used only the necessary level of force to gain control and then promptly administered care, including monitoring the suspect and giving her water. "If that type of conduct is suitable for aggravated battery charges," Tony said, "every officer up here is guilty." "You don't get a free pass to strike, injure, hurt or harm any of my (bleep) deputies in my agency. None of them." He played portions of jail surveillance video to underscore the deputies' professionalism, stating he typically would not release such footage but refused to allow "a Salem witch trial" against his deputies. Deputies reinstated, legal fees covered Tony announced the internal affairs investigation had cleared the deputies, resulting in full reinstatement. He said the charges were either "unfounded" or resulted in "exoneration." "These attorneys will be paid for by the Broward Sheriff's Office," he concluded. "These deputies are not going to pay one penny in defense of this." The Broward State Attorney responds to Sheriff Tony's comments Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor issued the following statement regarding the Broward Sheriff's comments Friday: "On behalf of myself and all of the dedicated public servants who work at the Broward State Attorney's Office, I am very disappointed that the Sheriff said that he was speculating when he made vague comments alleging public corruption by my agency. However, as a prosecutor, I am held to a higher ethical and moral standard and will not speculate about this important matter. Attempts to verbally bully my office or sway public opinion prior to trial will not deter us from seeking justice and striving to do the right thing. I strongly encourage the Broward Sheriff's Office to provide us and the residents of Broward County with a detailed and specific account – in writing – of the allegation the Sheriff alluded to at the media conference. Let me assure the residents and dedicated law enforcement officers of Broward County that I will provide complete transparency regarding this matter while also complying with the ethical rules that discourage prosecutors from commenting on the facts and circumstances of cases we are prosecuting. My prosecutors and I will continue to try all criminal cases in the courtroom, based on facts and evidence – not in the media. The Sheriff questioned why it took some time for charges to be filed: The investigation of the three detention deputies who were charged in relation to Samantha Caputo was initiated in April of 2024 after her criminal defense attorney filed a motion to dismiss the battery charge against her. The prosecutor handling the case spoke to her supervisor, Paul Valcore, the Assistant State Attorney in Charge (ASAIC) of the Felony Trial Unit, regarding the evidence in the battery case against Caputo. After reviewing the video footage from the jail on April 22, 2024, ASAIC Paul Valcore was concerned and recommended dropping the battery charge against Caputo. He then notified Chief Assistant State Attorney Gina Faulk and the Assistant State Attorney in Charge of the Public Corruption Unit, Julio Gonzalez, about the matter and sent the case file, the defense motion, and the surveillance video to the Public Corruption Unit for review. Last month, criminal charges were filed against the three detention deputies. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty. At no time were the detention deputies placed in front of the national media in handcuffs, they were allowed to surrender to the jail at a time that was arranged with their defense attorneys in advance, and they were released from the jail on agreed bonds of $7,500 without going through magistrate court. All of the relevant memos are provided here and here. Regarding the Sheriff's comments about Ronald Thurston, our Public Corruption Unit prosecutors declined to file a battery charge against him in June of 2021 after concluding there was insufficient evidence to charge him with a crime. Thurston was criminally charged in February of this year on an unrelated matter and is currently facing criminal prosecution by our agency. As with all cases, we will file criminal charges when we have facts and evidence to support them. Please see the relevant memo here. In response to the assertions made by the Sheriff that prosecutors declined to file charges against law enforcement officers in a number of cases presented by his agency, this indicates how seriously we take the process of reviewing the evidence on a case-by-case basis. This is consistent with our belief in pursuing justice and reviewing cases independently, irrespective of an individual's name or perceived status. Whatever the facts and evidence, we will always strive to do the right thing."
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Tamarac triple murder fallout: 7 more BSO deputies placed on leave as internal probe deepens
More BSO deputies place on leave in fallout from Tamarac murders More BSO deputies place on leave in fallout from Tamarac murders More BSO deputies place on leave in fallout from Tamarac murders The Broward Sheriff's Office has placed seven additional deputies on leave following a triple murder in Tamarac earlier this year, bringing the total number of employees under scrutiny to 13. One probationary employee has already been terminated. The internal affairs investigation is focused on how BSO responded to numerous domestic violence calls from Mary Gingles, who was murdered in February along with her father, David Ponzer and neighbor, Andrew Ferrin. Gingles' estranged husband, Nathan, is accused in the killings. Pattern of inaction Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony has publicly condemned his agency's failure to act on what he called repeated warning signs. Gingles had called BSO for help dozens of times prior to her death, according to Tony. "There will be people who will lose their job over this and I'm focused on making sure that they don't win a damn arbitration," Tony said. Among the disciplinary concerns are allegations of breach of confidence and neglect of duty. "To those mothers and women out there who think that we're going to drop the ball and this is a consistent pattern, know this," Tony added, "when we rectify this situation, I'm going to send the fear of God among this entire agency to make damn sure we don't do this again." Calls for accountability Frank Ponzer, whose brother David was among the victims, said he supports the ongoing investigation. "I would say they're doing a good job of investigating and finding out how these failures happened," he said. Still, Ponzer wants to see real consequences. "Obviously, there were some shortcomings here," he said. "The investigations need to continue to happen until all these people are exposed." The BSO internal affairs investigation remains ongoing.
CBS News
04-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
BSO to host prescription drug disposal, document shredding event
The Broward Sheriff's Office is set to host a free community event Saturday aimed at combating prescription drug abuse and identity theft, authorities announced. Dubbed Operation Medicine Cabinet and Shred-A-Thon, the event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the BSO Oakland Park District, located at 5399 North Dixie Highway. Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony and his team are urging residents to participate by bringing unused or expired medications and sensitive documents for safe disposal. The initiative is part of the sheriff's ongoing efforts to address two pressing issues in Broward County. Residents who turn in prescription medications will receive a $5 gift card while supplies last, though needles and sharp objects will not be accepted. For document shredding, participants may bring up to two boxes per vehicle, with each box limited to 16 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches high. BSO officials say the event reflects their commitment to public safety by reducing the risk of drug misuse and protecting personal information from falling into the wrong hands. For more information, the sheriff's office directs the public to call 954-831-8902 or visit
