Arkansas officer fired after being caught on video beating inmate in back of patrol car

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas police officer has been fired after he was caught on video beating a handcuffed inmate in the back of his patrol car, and the police chief says he will refer the case to prosecutors.

Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott fired Officer Joseph Harris on Friday, the day after Harris was caught on his patrol car video punching, elbowing and slamming the car door on an inmate being transferred from a local hospital back to the county jail.

Elliott reviewed the video after receiving a complaint from the county sheriff’s office about the incident. The department also posted the video on its YouTube page and announced the officer’s firing.

“I was just shocked and appalled by (Harris’) actions,” Elliott told The Associated Press on Monday. “Based on that conduct, I’m not going to have it and I’m not going put up with it, and immediately terminated him.”

A phone number was not listed for Harris, who had worked for the department for the past five years.

Billy Lee Coram, the inmate in the back of the patrol car, is wearing a hospital gown and choking himself with a seatbelt wrapped his neck as the car is moving in the roughly 12-minute video. After the car pulls over, Harris opens the door and punches and elbows Coram several times in the face as he unwinds the belt.

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