Century Correctional Officer Charged With Battery On An Inmate

March 30, 2016

A correctional offir at Century Correctional Institution has been charged with allegedly striking an inmate.

The Florida Department of Corrections  Office of Inspector General (OIG)  arrested Correctional Officer Sergeant Nanette Black following an OIG criminal investigation. Black was charged with misdemeanor  battery and booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $1,000.

Assistant State Attorney John Molchan said Black was accused of striking an inmate at Century Correctional Institution in an incident on January 9 that was at least partially caught on video. She was subsequently questioned by the Department of Correction’s OIG and charges were filed.

Molchan said the inmate did not suffer injuries that required medical attention.

Further details have not been released.

Editor’s note: State law prevents the release of a Department of Corrections employee’s mugshot.

NorthEscambia.com file photos click to enlarge.

Comments

24 Responses to “Century Correctional Officer Charged With Battery On An Inmate”

  1. David Huie Green on March 31st, 2016 10:59 am

    REGARDING:
    *they are surrounded by the worst of the worst. None us have a right to judge unless you how walked in their shoes.”

    Do they have the worst of the worst there?
    Are they all the worst of the worst?
    If some are just bad and others are much worse, should they all be treated as the worst?

    Isn’t it prejudging to declare the character of the inmate?
    Sure, somebody already judged the inmate to have committed an imprisonable crime (or two or three or thirty-seven) but does that mean the inmate is always at fault in any dispute?

    I have been tempted to hit a few folks; I usually didn’t
    (and brothers don’t count anyway).
    I have been hit while my arms were held: I didn’t like it
    (neither did he in retrospect, not my brother).
    Please note I am not judging, just noticing it is being done on both sides.

    Also, It does not state the inmate filed a complaint.
    Some other witness may have or a review of video may have led to the charges.
    Also remember, folks got a right to gripe about perceived mistreatment.

    David for avoiding prison

  2. Mary hopeless on March 31st, 2016 9:16 am

    Really??? What part of “thorough investigation” and ” caught on camera” is anyone not getting? If an inmate hits/smacks/assaults/ or even spits in an officer’s face they are found guilty and given another 15 years for assaulting an officer. No video needed. I feel for Sgt. Black as she may have just been having a bad day and thought she could get away with smacking an inmate like so many other officers do but unfortunately for her this inmate filed charges, which so many don’t because fear of retaliation in the form of a “beat down”. People….not all inmates are BAD and yes, some have changed and are changing for the better. Don’t categorize all inmates as bad or then you will have to categorize all officers as bad also. Look at all the officers arrested in the last year alone for crimes that they were commuting in the prison. Their motto ” We never walk alone” is true. One does something bad the others participate or turn their eyes. You say not true but you want to say all inmates are the same……hmmmmm

  3. Mary on March 31st, 2016 8:24 am

    Some times a lot it is the officers faults, they let there job go to there head and think they can treat inmates anyway they feel but it don’t work that way Treat All people the way u want to be treated, you never no when the tables will turn,… Good job DOC 4 installing Camera’s…

  4. James Green on March 31st, 2016 7:26 am

    I have known Sergeant Black for 20 years. I have work for her and with her for most of those years. She is a professional. When you get behind those gates it is a different world a world within the world. Hopefully this will blow over and get to the real problem recidivism! DOC retired.

  5. Ron McAndrew on March 31st, 2016 6:12 am

    There’s nothing better than a good correctional officer walking the walk for us each hard day at work. There’s nothing worse than a bad correctional officer that feels it’s lawful to be unlawful.

  6. CO on March 31st, 2016 12:08 am

    Sgt. Black is a good woman and a great Officer a lot of inmates looked to her as a mother figure one inmate didn’t like the way she handled the situation now this. Secretary Julie Jones is going to get people hurt with her new ways for the DOC.

  7. albert on March 30th, 2016 11:09 pm

    I retired after 40 years of working inside a prison. In that time I cannot recall a time when force was used that it was not needed to be used maybe a couple of times a little more than i though was needed. Now there is a hands off policy and you have more and more officers getting assaulted. People better wake up there has to be an amount of fear in a prison an inmate has to know that he can still get his tail whipped if he puts his hands on an officer, Ala just had an Officer and a Warden stabbed and nothing happened when will this stop.I guess they have to just let all the murders and rapist out in public

  8. Zelda Thompson on March 30th, 2016 10:47 pm

    My hats off to the correction officers. Thank god for them, they are surrounded by the worst of the worst. None us have a right to judge unless you how walked in their shoes. I can’t help but notice there is nothing mentioned about the incident that prompted a sergeant to strike an prisoner.

  9. Carolyn Bramblett on March 30th, 2016 9:06 pm

    An officer has no right to “smack” an inmate. It’s scary how stupid some of the comments are.

  10. Anonymous Tip on March 30th, 2016 3:18 pm

    Actually, there have been numerous of officers to be hurt within the last 2 months plus several attempts to hurt other officers.

  11. Lone chief on March 30th, 2016 2:48 pm

    “Inmate did not suffer injuries requiring medical attention”…Nuff said! Nowadays people flip out over a bloody nose. Yes, I do not agree with abuse of power but these folks who are incarcerated are there for a reason, usually not good. Wonder why crime is so out of control..there is no fear factor anymore. You couldn’t pay me enough to do this job and be exposed daily to what these DOC personnel experience. This is coming from a combat veteran. Give me straight-up combat anyday over that job.

  12. MiMi on March 30th, 2016 2:20 pm

    Really!!! why don’t we make sure the folks in Jail have more rights then we do as hard working Women and Men. I mean really if you do wrong you should be staying in the’ Escambia Condo” so yes go get in trouble we will make sure you get the best care, food , Medical Tv and legal help so you will want to come back.

  13. Northof9mi on March 30th, 2016 2:13 pm

    This is what happens when the inmates start running the prison system.

  14. brandy on March 30th, 2016 12:55 pm

    Defending yourself is one thing, abuse is another. People wanylt u to believe because someone is in prison their bad that’s not always true most just want to do their. Time and go. PRison is suppose to be about rehabilitation not caging people like animals. I have hears alto about century I know people who work there and also people whom are housed there so I have heard both sides. Violence and anger is usually what gets a person in prison so we should set a better example. I was always taught never put your hands on anyone unless they put theirs on u. Treatment of inmates is about as bad as treatment of the homeless. Its shameful.

  15. G man on March 30th, 2016 11:30 am

    I worked with Sgt. WILLIAMS for years. If she put her hands on a inmate he deserved it! My thoughts are with her as she goes through this time.The New kinder, friendlier, DOC is going to get a lot of people hurt. Quit tieing there hands and allow them to do there job! SMH…..

  16. Ray on March 30th, 2016 11:21 am

    An officer defending themselves is one thing. Abuse of power is very common place. If an officer is doing nothing wrong, they should not fear cameras. Prison abuse in Florida has gone on way too long

  17. William on March 30th, 2016 10:39 am

    >>BTW northescambia.com, where are the stories about the Correctional Officers that have been injured by inmates? There have been several.

    Call the Florida Department of Corrections public affairs office and ask that question.

    When a corrections officer is arrested, whether it be Century or Miami, the DOC will issue a press release.

    If a corrections officer is injured, or even an inmate on inmate violent attack, the DOC is very quiet and don’t say a word. No fault of their own, the local prison officials are not allowed to say anything.

    We don’t magically know when it happens, so it’s never reported on.

    (When an officer or prisoner is seriously injured, it is always possible that someone could submit an anonymous tip to us, allowing us to call the DOC and ask specific questions.)

  18. Chris on March 30th, 2016 10:35 am

    Its about time some light was shed on how inmates are treated by correction officers.Alot of officers bring their problems from home to work and take it out on an inmate because they know an inmate cant do anything back to them for fear of receiving more prison time.its called hiding behind the badge so im glad someone took notice of an inmate being mistreated. Hey do the crime,do the time,i get it but just cause your in prison, doesn’t mean u should be treated badly.

  19. Shankingmyhead on March 30th, 2016 9:28 am

    I’m sure this inmate was just sitting quietly alone reading his Bible and having his daily devotion when along came this angry guard and decided that he wasn’t being rowdy enough so the guard decided to mistreat them. That’s what the media would like everyone to think , that the criminal is the victim and the hard-working guard sacrifices their life every day when going to work is the criminal. This inmate could be in there because of not paying a lot of parking tickets or because they raped two year old child we don’t know but nevertheless we do know they are in there for some kind of crime and we need to quit jumping to conclusions as to what happened and making this gaurd out to be a criminal before she or he even had their day in court I am sure that the person behind the cell walls had their day in court and they were found guilty, so there they set.

  20. Old CO... on March 30th, 2016 9:20 am

    Molchan said the inmate did not suffer injuries that required medical attention. Let an inmate attack a CO and leave injuries and most of the time nothing is done. If they want to make prisons safer they need to punish the inmates not coddle them. Cameras everywhere is not the answer. Adequate staff and adequate pay is. Cameras are nothing more than another manipulation tool to be used by inmates to play the administration against line staff. Throughout the state there is an air of helplessness and hopelessness amongst staff. Staff members who apply themselves and show initiative are ostracized and targets of trumped up charges such as these. My heart goes out to Sgt. Nanette Black and her family. NOT THE INMATES. This is just one more nail in the coffin of poor morale, poor management and empowering the inmates over the Correctional Officer Staff. They say “We Never Walk Alone”. That’s not correct. It should read “Your on Your Own”.

    BTW northescambia.com, where are the stories about the Correctional Officers that have been injured by inmates? There have been several. Some severely. The officers aren’t the bad guys. The inmates are.

  21. say it ain't so on March 30th, 2016 8:15 am

    some of these inmates are in here for a reason some for nothing so they say but however you don’t put your hands on somebody elses children /inmates…..

  22. usetobeme on March 30th, 2016 7:27 am

    Can’t do anything to an inmate anymore. Can’t even defend yourself without causing yourself trouble. Not just State. County also.
    That’s one of many reasons they never have enough officers.
    I say let everyone get another job and let the politicians and judges do a job nobody want’s.

  23. chris in Molino on March 30th, 2016 6:09 am

    Sounds pretty stupid to me. He was probably smarting off after being forced to comply with a verbal order and got cuffed on the head or something.
    It’s insanity to know that much much worse crimes have been committed by gaurds with more than circumstantial evidence and no charges were filed. In fact the culture used to be getting a promotion for routine assaults on inmates.

  24. 429SCJ on March 30th, 2016 5:55 am

    You wonder why no one wants to pursue a career in corrections.

    Perhaps that inmate needed a good smacking?