JONESBORO, Ark. — While questions still linger about potential criminal charges, a civil lawsuit is now on the table against the fired JPD officer who was seen on video beating a handcuffed inmate on August 8 in Jonesboro.
K8 News reports that the inmate, Billy Coram, is represented by Mike Laux of the Laux Law Group and Michael Kiel Kaiser of Lassiter & Cassinelli. They announced on Tuesday, Sept. 24 they were filing a lawsuit on behalf of their client, alleging 4th Amendment violations.
Ex-Jonesboro officer Joseph Tucker Harris is the primary defendant and the cause of the lawsuit, with the complaint alleging he violated Coram’s constitutional rights on August 8. Video of the incident showed Harris punch and elbow Coram ten times in a row while Coram was restrained and not fighting. Harris then slammed the door on Coram’s head twice and took another swing at him at the jail, prompting jailers to intervene.
The City of Jonesboro and JPD Chief Rick Elliott are also defendants in the lawsuit, according to K8. Part of the lawsuit alleges that Harris’s behavior were part of a pattern at JPD.
In 2022, Harris had previously been disciplined with a suspension for several hours after video showed him slamming a young man and arresting him following an argument.
In May, 2024, Harris also canceled an ambulance that was called for a young man who was suffering from an overdose. Instead, he arrested Brock Tyner and took Tyner to jail, where he died a short time later. A lawsuit is pending in that case.
Lawsuit Filed Over Brock Tyner’s In-Custody Death in Jonesboro
Both Arkansas State Police and the FBI – Little Rock office are continuing to investigate the Coram incident for potential criminal charges. Harris, thus far, has faced no criminal penalties for his actions.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Will the city settle this quickly to make it go away? With the election coming up it should be a question for the mayor at the debate. What we know is that when a JPD officer is driving like a maniac for no reason and on the phone at the same time nearly kills a a citizen and leaves her permanently paralyzed the city will fight tooth and nail to avoid paying up. How about it Copenhagen?
Mayor of the year? Fake news!!!!!