Shocking moment a detention deputy kicks an inmate in the side after ordering him to do 50 push-ups as punishment for throwing a cookie to a bird
- Detention Deputy James Moran, 57, has been fired for kicking inmate in January
- Inmate, Mario Christo, 31, was throwing out trash when he discovered a cookie
- He then threw the cookie to a bird that was perched on top of the dumpster
- At that point, Moran ordered Christo to drop to ground and do 50 push-ups
- Christo got to 20th push-up and took a break; that’s when Moran kicked him
- Christo was serving 364-day sentence for disorderly conduct & resisting officer
- He was released last week and went to police to report the January 11 incident
- Moran was fired and arrested on misdemeanor count of battery on Tuesday
A Florida deputy has been fired after he kicked an inmate who was trying to feed a cookie to a bird.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Bob Gualtieri, said during a press conference on Tuesday that Detention Deputy James Moran, 57, was fired for ‘acting improperly’ after he kicked inmate Mario Christo in the side.
Christo had been working in the kitchen at the Pinellas County Jail on January 11.
In recently released surveillance video, the 31-year-old is seen helping two other inmates throw out the garbage when he spotted a cookie.
Inmate, Mario Christo (right, throwing out trash), 31, who was trying to feed a cookie to a bird at the Pinellas County Jail in Florida
Christo (pictured with his hand in the air) is seen throwing the cookie to a bird that was on top of the dumpster before Moran calls him over. A second deputy is also seen in the video
Christo is seen throwing the cookie to a bird that was on top of the dumpster before Moran calls him over. A second deputy is also seen in the video.
At that point, Moran ordered Christo to drop to the ground and do 50 push-ups as punishment.
When Christo got to the 20th push-up, he had to take a rest break.
That’s when Moran kicked him in the side.
Eventually, Christo finishes the push-ups and heads back over to help the other inmates with the trash.
Christo, who had been serving a 364-day sentence for disorderly conduct and resisting an officer, didn’t suffer any broken bones.
At that point, Moran ordered Christo to drop to the ground and do 50 push-ups as punishment
When Christo got to the 20th push-up, he had to take a rest break. That’s when Moran kicked him in the side. Christo, who had been serving a 364-day sentence for disorderly conduct and resisting an officer, didn’t suffer any broken bone
He was released last week and went to authorities to report the incident.
Christo said he never reported the incident while he was an inmate at the jail for fear of retribution.
Moran (pictured) was fired and arrested on a misdemeanor count of battery on Tuesday
No injury was ever reported as a result of the incident but Christo said his side hurt for several days.
Detectives conducted an investigation into Christo’s complaint and obtained surveillance video of the incident.
‘The surveillance video corroborated Christo’s allegations and clearly showed Deputy Moran batter the victim,’ authorities said in a press statement.
Sheriff Gualtieri said during the press conference that ‘any type of physical punishment or any type of corporal punishment, if you will, or any type of action on the part of the deputies making the inmates do something in response to misconduct or alleged misconduct has no place in the jail’.
Moran, a six-year department veteran, was fired and arrested on a misdemeanor count of battery on Tuesday.
He was subsequently transported to the Pinellas County Jail.