Officer Who Struck Handcuffed Man Arrested on Felony Charges

JONESBORO, Ark. — The fired police officer accused of a vicious beating of a Jonesboro inmate has finally been arrested.

Joseph Tucker Harris, 29, of Brookland, turned himself in on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 at Craighead County Detention Center. His charges include aggravated assault and filing a false police report, both Class D felonies, and third-degree battery, a Class A misdemeanor.

NEA Report was there as Harris turned himself in:

A source close to the case said the former officer agreed to turn himself in on Tuesday. Attorney Russell A. Wood of Russellville is representing Harris. Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jessica Thomason is representing the State.

Jail records showed a $15,000 cash or surety bond set for the defendant. A judge must make the final decision regarding bail at the next bond hearing, set for 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Harris was fired on Friday, August 9, by the Jonesboro Police Department. JPD announced the decision on their Facebook page after 4 p.m. while releasing the video.

In the footage, Billy Lee Coram, in a medical gown, complains in the back of a squad car that he thinks he is going to die from fentanyl in his system. Coram was taken to the hospital but allegedly fled from custody before being arrested again. Although he was not a JPD inmate, Jonesboro police were tasked with transporting him back to the jail.

Harris responded aggressively to Coram, going as far as stating that he did not care if the inmate died. The situation escalated when Coram attempted to strangle himself with a seatbelt. Harris punched him four times and elbowed him six times in the video. Then, he slammed the door on the prisoner’s head. Craighead County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chris Ditto asks Coram if he is okay. Officer Harris returned and with the end of his baton, painfully shoved it into the suspect’s chest to get him to shout in pain and move. Harris, again, slams the door on the subject’s head.

After they arrive at the jail, Coram’s head is still stuck between the door and the seat. Deputy Ditto opens the door to let Coram loose. Coram, however, is furious. He repeatedly states that he was attacked and injured by Harris.

As deputies and jailers escort Coram into the booking area, Harris takes another swing at Coram over the heads of the deputies. The deputies tell Harris to leave the booking area.

After a Freedom of Information Act request to JPD for Harris’s personnel files, NEA Report learned what happened next.

In a complaint filed against Harris, Captain Stephen McDaniel wrote that he received a call from the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office about the incident. This document stated that Deputy Ditto reported the violent outburst seen on camera. Multiple sources said that a Craighead deputy was responsible for alerting authorities to the incident caught on video.

The JPD fired Harris the next day, but many demanded legal action. The department gave several excuses for not arresting Harris for the behavior seen on camera. The police chief said the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating the incident the night the video was released. Later, the prosecutor requested that Arkansas State Police also investigate.

Harris faces up to six years in prison on both Class D felony charges and up to one year on the misdemeanor charge.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This wasn’t the first time Harris lost his cool and attacked a suspect. In July 2022, Harris slammed a 21-year-old who had argued with him and other officers outside of the Midnight Rodeo private club, where Harris was working security.

We are aware and very concerned about the use of force incident that occurred on July 10th in the parking lot of a Jonesboro night club and started circulating on social media this past weekend. Upon learning of this event, we immediately began an investigation into the level of force used by the officers involved during the arrest.

The primary officer in the incident was placed on administrative leave on Monday pending the outcome of this investigation. We will post an update once the investigation has concluded.

JPD Statement

The department only suspended Harris for 22 hours without pay. Following Harris’s termination in 2024, Police Chief Rick Elliott seemed to defend the decision when asked by a reporter, calling it a different situation.

The City of Jonesboro and its police chief still face a federal civil rights lawsuit. Court records show that on Jan. 13, 2025, a final scheduling order was issued setting a jury trial for sometime during the week of May 11, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. in Little Rock before Judge Brian Miller.

See more: Final Scheduling Order, Case No. 4:26-CV-00813 BSM.

Updated 4 p.m.

The probable cause affidavit was released after Harris appeared before a judge for his PC hearing Tuesday afternoon. The affidavit alleges that Harris falsified a police report related to the incident.