Bond Reduced For Detention Center Officer Charged In Fatal Teen Beating
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — A Miami juvenile detention center officer will be arraigned in federal court Tuesday on civil rights charges for reportedly encouraging inmates to fatally beat a teen.
Antwan Lenard Johnson, 35, allegedly encouraged other teens at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center to beat 17-year-old Elord Revolte. He's been charged with conspiracy and deprivation of Revolte's rights under color of law.
The indictment claims Johnson used a bounty system and rewards so inmates at the facility would use violence to punish bad behavior by other inmates.
It's a story first reported by CBS4's Jim DeFede "Snacks For Attacks: Inside A Dysfunctional Dade Juvie Detention Center, Part 1" and Part 2.
Revolte, identified only as "E.R" in the indictment, was assaulted by other juveniles in August 2015 because of unspecified "statements and behavior."
"Johnson availed himself to a type of bounty system commonly used and understood at the JDC in response to a perceived challenge to his authority by E.R. In exchanges for rewards and privileges, which is recreational time and additional snacks, Johnson caused and encouraged and induced these detainees to forcibly assault E.R. to ensure that Johnson was obeyed," said U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg.
After the attack, E.R. was taken to the JDC medical department while the other juveniles were "released from their cells in order to watch television as a reward and privilege. In and around the same time, Antwan Lenard Johnson also acknowledged and bumped fists together with the juvenile who initiated the attack on E.R." The teens also received snacks for taking part in the attack, states the court document.
According to the indictment, E.R. was later transported from the JDC to Holtz Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead due to bodily injuries suffered during the attack.
During his initial appearance before a judge last month, bond was set at $100,000. Johnson's "temporary" attorney said his client could not afford the required $10,000 cash and collateral to cover the balance.
During Tuesday's hearing, it was reduced to a $250,000 personal surety bond co-signed by his girlfriend and sister. He was also assigned a federal defense lawyer.
