Inmate Assaults Correctional Officer At Century Prison

May 18, 2016

An inmate assaulted a correctional officer Tuesday morning at Century Correctional Institution.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections inmate Willie J Shannon  attacked a correctional officer at about 5:45 a.m. at Century Correctional Institution.

Officials said Shannon was being counseled by an officer when he took an aggressive stance and struck the officer several times, refusing to comply to the commands of staff.

Following the initial assault, several officers responded and were able to successfully bring the inmate into compliance. The injured officer was examined by medical staff who suggested that the officer receive treatment at an outside medical facility for a contusion to the left eye and abrasions to the arms.

Shannon will receive a disciplinary report for this assault.

The Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General will investigate this incident.

Shannon is serving a five year sentence for attempted robbery and grand theft on a 2007 conviction out of Palm Beach County, according to DOC records. He was schedule

Comments

30 Responses to “Inmate Assaults Correctional Officer At Century Prison”

  1. Gary Cooper on May 19th, 2016 7:48 pm

    The inmate received a letter of reprimand….what a joke. He should be arrested and sentenced to life without parole and moved from Century to a booger maximum prison and forced to work

  2. David Huie Green on May 19th, 2016 5:15 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Inmate RIGHTS???? I am sorry, What about the rights of the families they assaulted, or robbed, or worse?! They don’t DESERVE any rights!”

    Yet they have them because our founding fathers wrote those rights into the Constitution. They remembered The Crown had falsely deprived them of rights and wanted to be sure our new government was not so abusive.

    Does that mean they are to get whatever they want? No, it doesn’t.
    Does it mean there are limits on how we can mistreat them. Yes, it does.
    Some have done horrible things which would have justified shooting them graveyard dead at the time.
    Once they are no longer a threat, the question becomes one of how cruel do we want to be and to pay others to be.
    Even if we have to kill them, it would be better for us if we didn’t enjoy killing or torture.

    None of the above is meant to judge what went on in this instance. I will assume the correctional officers were acting appropriately until shown otherwise.

    David for giving the benefit of the doubt
    to the one not shown to be a criminal

  3. T the soon to be reitred CO on May 19th, 2016 4:58 pm

    In a nut shell.
    IT AINT GONA GET NO BETTA!!!
    As a matter of fact its going to get worse. They will come on to the compound to arrest an Officer to discredit him/her and place their name in every news paper they can find. Ladies and Gentlemen I have been doing this work for a long time. The Inmates call this (Checking in. they will say.” I’m going to go lay down for a month”).and they will do anything to go lay down….Believe this if you don’t believe anything else YOU DO WALK ALONE. The department is only worried about its image that’s it. Our protection our literal Lives don’t mean nothing to them.. To them we are just another name on a file..

  4. ex officer2009 on May 19th, 2016 1:15 pm

    I worked for 9 years at Tomoka CI which used to house psych inmates. We had an officer killed there while I was there. The scumbag is still alive while the officer he killed isn’t. The state lets these scumbags get away with anything and everything they want. It is time you put REAL people in charge of the Department of Corruption!

  5. Captain Willard on May 19th, 2016 11:04 am

    Prisoners are not goody two shoes. In our Leftist courts one does not even do time until after a dozen arrests. we use to hire big bruisers and two fisted men to be guards. Now we hire via PC and blame the poor correctional officer for making the poor inmate strike him. Correctional officer as in all law enforcement is a job where when you get brutally attacked and they name you as the Accused. Most inmates are better fed, better clothed, better housed and have more amusements than they did when they had to mind their own dime.

  6. Fan of Mr Nobody on May 19th, 2016 9:48 am

    I second the temperament of Mr Nobody. Tell me how it is right that if I punch an inmate I am fired and also arrested but if an inmate punches me they will get a disciplinary report written. Julie Jones and her chihuahua Senator Richardson are ruining the department. They need to put on a uniform and work the wings to see how the inmates really act towards staff. Instead they walk around with an entourage and the inmates play them like a fiddle. The inmates are manipulating the system with the backing of these two. I am disgusted at what the department has turned into and I think that Julie Jones should personally write every victim and their family to let them know how she is making sure the convicts are treated like they are in college. A college atmosphere is what she is wanting for the prison and that is her words.

  7. justice4both on May 19th, 2016 7:38 am

    As an advocate for safer prisons to protect both officers and inmates I would like to say that instances like this affect everyone at the prison from the inmates to the warden to the families of the other inmates at the prison. Yes, this inmate will suffer for his actions. The public will never hear about it. It will never “be on file”. His family will not hear about it because his letters will be intercepted but he will be punished. The officers will “change shifts” on him for a long time. What he did was wrong and he will suffer the consequences of his actions. Number one….stop the bullying by officers to inmates. I’ve seen the attitudes. INMATES ARE NOT IN PRISON TO BE PUNISHED. THAT IS THEIR PUNISHMENT. Number two….allow ACTUAL programs to keep these inmates busy.
    ,

  8. Mike on May 19th, 2016 2:52 am

    @chris in Molino:

    Dominated by staff? Well, I certainly hope so! This is HOW IT SHOULD BE! And I hope society in general agrees, for all our sakes.

  9. Citizen on May 18th, 2016 7:13 pm

    Getting on here and commenting is a wonderful privilege. I appreciate the insight from not only the story but the comments are especially enlightening.

    I suggest that to really make a difference we write to the powers
    that be, Julie Jones, her boss over her, send them this link. A snail mail letter can be mailed if you do not want an electronic link back to you I often do on matters I am personally involved or passionate about. You may not see
    results every time but it really does more than just venting. If you send a link referencing this story, it shows the collective voice.

  10. Retiredcosdaughter on May 18th, 2016 5:53 pm

    Inmate RIGHTS???? I am sorry, What about the rights of the families they assaulted, or robbed, or worse?! They don’t DESERVE any rights! This man needs to be in solitary. This mess is so angering to me! People calling the COs scum. The COs Risk their lives EVERY DAY! I prayed for my father to come home safe every night for over 30 years! These men deserve honor and respect! The inmates deserve what they got… TIME….NOTHING BUT TIME TO THINK ANOUT THEIR CRIMES. If they get stupid and assault an officer, They need MORE time.

  11. Darlene on May 18th, 2016 5:11 pm

    It is hard to work in that type of environment on a good day and these inmates could care less if they strike an Officer. They (inmates) know the rules better than most of the staff. Hats off to the Men and Women who put their lives at risk daily for what society could not deal with. No guns, Just Guts!

  12. 5 year DOC employee wife on May 18th, 2016 5:09 pm

    The assault on this officer is what happens every day in every prison in Florida. Actions put in place by Julie Jones have made assaults on staff more frequent and the punishment for this behavior less consequential. She is so focused on her image and the image of the Florida Department of Corrections that she is wasting money (millions of dollars) in redesigning the DOC logo. This ‘new’ design has the employees looking less official and her actions are making them so. Officers should look and act official, it’s in the job title. Men and women are not in prison for singing too loud in church. Yes prison is harsh, as well it should be. The state does have to provide basic necessities and no more. Inmates don’t have to do anything other than learn how to follow rules and get along. Things that we in society learned at a young age. That is why we are not in prison and get to have the right to do as we please.

  13. Rodney on May 18th, 2016 4:55 pm

    @Shay….very well said!!!

  14. cj on May 18th, 2016 3:11 pm

    it is not just at Century CI that this is happening – amazing that the officers are being punished trying to take care of inmates that have done enough to be put in prison

  15. Shay on May 18th, 2016 2:25 pm

    Perhaps Julie Jones should be like the bosses on undercover boss and go undercover to see first hand what her policies have done for the correctional institutes. It is easy to sit on high and make policies that don’t affect you but it would be entirely different if she was in the trenches with those working for her

    Being married to a police officer, my understanding is that CCI c/o’s don’t carry guns or sprays to protect themselves from attacks by inmates which makes her policies even more dangerous for them.

    Nothing is worse than grown children getting their way and if they don’t they throw tantrums until they do. Charge this monster with assault instead of patting him on his head and giving into his demands

  16. LA on May 18th, 2016 1:09 pm

    It’s about time something like this actually made it to the news. I pray this
    officer that was assaulted has a speedy recovery. I have seen this happen
    before here at Century Corrections. And some how it never makes the news papers or the news channels. Cover ups ! more then you are allowed to know. It’s all about protecting the inmates not the officer. Ask any Officer that work at Century Corrections and they will tell you they are working a skeleton shift. Always under staffed and working major overtime to cover it. Which is a safety concern also that threatens staff safety. Julie Jones needs to wake up and see that she is making it dangerous for officers to do their job. By babying harden criminals and giving them everything they whine about not having. Maybe lawsuits need to be aimed towards Julie Jones for encouraging this kind of behavior from inmates. Julie Jones you need to remember what these inmates did to there victims. And you can be sure it was not a kind or caring way that they killed, hurt their victims

  17. Coming soon on May 18th, 2016 9:52 am

    The newest from Julie Jones will cause more of this. They are getting ready to “pilot ” a prison without confinement. Unreal. Absolutely no concern at all for staff. Way to go Rick Scott, you have totally destroyed DOC with her being secretary. Now for GEO to take over.

  18. Ex co on May 18th, 2016 9:22 am

    This has happened many times at century. The state is good at keeping it quite and always protects inmates over staff. Their goal at century is to look good for the big shots and will run that compound on low staff just to pressure wash a side walk. Seen it done hundreds of times. Get your priorities straight. Officers lives are the most important thing and should be at the top of the list.

  19. 20 year DOC Wife on May 18th, 2016 7:46 am

    Yes, this happens more times than publically reported. But, it seems to be happening a lot more often since Julie Jones took over! I have said for years that these inmates have the mentality of toddlers. They manipulate the parent (CO’s, SGT’s, LT’s, etc.) til they get what they want. If they don’t get what they want, when they want it, they throw a temper tantrum, i.e. strike an officer or fellow inmate, cuss staff, etc. Anything to get attention to their “issue”. This inmate wanted something that he was not getting. Now, he will get it, because he knows how to work the system and he knows that Julie Jones will coddle him, pat him on the head, and tuck him into bed. She’ll probably get him a glass of water and read him a bedtime story while she’s at it!!! We need to get rid of her and let DOC staff take back the compounds!

  20. Joeseph Roberts on May 18th, 2016 7:46 am

    All this inmate has to do is cry to the current inspector that she used derogatory language, or hit him first. The way an inmate avoids an outside charge is to make a baseless counter accusation or better yet PREA. They are such a tool and inmate advocate that this officer will wind up on no inmate contact. This is getting out of hand. If this officer wants a charge against this inmate, she’ll have to pursue it herself with the sheriff’s office.

  21. fisherman on May 18th, 2016 7:40 am

    He should be charged with assault.

  22. Mr Nobody on May 18th, 2016 6:44 am

    He punched a young female in the face several times. And what happens? He gets a DR. If I punch an inmate in the face several times what happens? I go to jail!!! So why is this inmate not getting an outside charge for assault on a law enforcement officer?? Those who don’t walk in our shoes don’t understand what we have to put up with. If he hit a sheriff deputy I bet he would be charged with assault on a law enforcement officer. I say we petition the state to bring formal charges against this inmate. They are taking over the prison system and I say it’s time we take it back!!

  23. Spouse of A DOC employee on May 18th, 2016 6:24 am

    Mike, most do go unaddressed, more than one would want to think about, cameras do not show everything & when they don’t show all, it allows others to think that one would make up a story. All workers do not stand up for each other, even with witnesses, others choose to believe camera, & yes most cameras do not lie, but there are some that work those to their advantage. After all when you put a thief in a store, most except the really stupid ones, will not steal in front of a camera, they will steal discreetly, like maybe find out the blind spots, & work to their advantage. Inmates are also not supposed to be freed without testing, like AIDS, etc but they are because if they do not want to be tested they will not force them to be, they feel it’s their right, but all are supposed to be, whether it is forced or not or to the medical a discretion, I know that some do not get tested, when in fact they’re supposed to be.

  24. Expected on May 18th, 2016 6:16 am

    With the new “philosophy”of the current doc secretary that staff safety is secondary to keeping inmates happy, these incidents have been on the rise this past year. Unfortunately it is only a matter of time before a staff member gets badly hurt. A disciplinary report for assaulting an officer.. Really?

  25. Spouse of A DOC employee on May 18th, 2016 6:07 am

    More of this goes on that is not reported in the news, ya’ll can thank Ms. Julie Jones & the others that think inmates should get away with everything & face no repercussions. If he is charged, what’s he gonna get, he’s already in prison & half the time more time doesn’t affect the inmates. But lo & behold if an inmate is abused, Ahhh! The officer should lose their job, but the public doesn’t know the whole story. There are cover ups, yes, even in the department itself with some of the workers, sometimes the wrong person gets covered, sometimes it doesn’t have to be the higher ups either. If officer truly abuses yes they should get punished, but most of the time it’s about how this story happens first. It was a female officer not a male This time. They want to REFORM the inmates.

  26. chris in Molino on May 18th, 2016 5:50 am

    Hope the officer is ok and this incident doesn’t affect his/her job performance.
    On an unpopular note…… To hear folks t nowhere nearell it on northescambia, this kind of stuff happens every day at Century.
    ECSO reports 811 Aggrevated Assaults in the county in 2015. There are roughly 235,000 people over the age of 18. So 1 in 289 commits aggrevated assault in our society. How many (Aggrevated) Assaults at Century ? I bet it’s nowhere near the per capita out here in the free world.
    My point being that for the most part, inmates in FDOC with all the meaningless rules have a strict structure and are under control. Compared with crime rates in society, inmates look like angels because of the way they are dominated by staff.

  27. FormerCO on May 18th, 2016 5:24 am

    Folks they are more than likely going to throw him in confinement and proceed to let him try to breath while they spray him with gas all the while video taping it. No worries he will get plenty of punishment for his actions.

  28. Traumaqueen on May 18th, 2016 4:02 am

    A disciplinary report in his file? I’m hoping this means that when parole is near that he’ll get a longer stay for his actions. I understand that prisoners have less freedoms than those of us on the outside but a rip in his prison file seems kind of lenient. Why isn’t he being charged with a crime? If he was out of prison and assaulted someone there’d be charges.

    I am glad that the c/o is going to be okay. Heads on a swivel boys and girls.Heads on a swivel…

  29. say it aint so on May 18th, 2016 2:23 am

    okay this inmate laid his hand on somebody he should get another 5 years i’am praying for the correctional officer speedy recover it sicken me to know this i can’t hold back the tears but good thing god know all and sees all he will fix it

  30. Mike on May 18th, 2016 1:50 am

    He was schedule?

    this warrants an in-house charge of aggravated assault & extra time added, not just a report. Behavior such as this can’t go unaddressed, our correctional officer’s lives matter, to use a really popular expression that is going around these days.

    COs have a hard job, hard enough without having to deal with this kind of thing. Let’s refocus our priorities, on the people that do this tough job, before we worry about making sure prisoners are wrapped in swaddling clothes & their baby formula is warm enough. :)