For release on May 23, 2016 CONTACT: John Chase, Deputy District Attorney Public Integrity Unit (408) 792-2595 COUNTY JAIL GUARDS CHARGED WITH BEATING SHACKLED INMATE Two Santa Clara County correctional deputies face felony charges for beating a shackled inmate last year.
Phillip Abecendario, 27, and Tuan Le, 31, are each charged with one count of assault by an officer. The defendants will be arraigned at a later date. If convicted, they each could be sentenced up to a maximum of three years in jail.
Prosecutor John Chase said: “We can't have jail guards administering their own form of punishment to inmates who are waiting for their trials or serving their sentences.” On July 23, 2015, after inmates were locked in their cells for the night, the officers assaulted a 49-year old inmate who had just arrived that evening to be housed. They assaulted him in an interview room where he was initially held. Then they dragged him - chained and half-naked - to his cell where they assaulted him again. During these assaults, the officers threw him against the wall and floor, jumped on him, punched him, and kicked him.
Subsequent investigation revealed that at least two dozen inmates saw at least some portion of this incident. The officers filed no reports documenting or explaining their use of force. They have been on administrative leave since February. # # #
Phillip Abecendario, 27, and Tuan Le, 31, are each charged with one count of assault by an officer. The defendants will be arraigned at a later date. If convicted, they each could be sentenced up to a maximum of three years in jail.
Prosecutor John Chase said: “We can't have jail guards administering their own form of punishment to inmates who are waiting for their trials or serving their sentences.” On July 23, 2015, after inmates were locked in their cells for the night, the officers assaulted a 49-year old inmate who had just arrived that evening to be housed. They assaulted him in an interview room where he was initially held. Then they dragged him - chained and half-naked - to his cell where they assaulted him again. During these assaults, the officers threw him against the wall and floor, jumped on him, punched him, and kicked him.
Subsequent investigation revealed that at least two dozen inmates saw at least some portion of this incident. The officers filed no reports documenting or explaining their use of force. They have been on administrative leave since February. # # #