Richland jail employee charged with assaulting inmate following bond court
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An employee of the Richland County jail has been charged with assaulting an inmate following a bond hearing at the jail, according to a statement from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
On April 5, Martavius Smith, a “detention center employee” allegedly got into a verbal argument with a 41-year-old detainee following a bond court hearing inside of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to the sheriff’s department.
Smith had been assisting with bond court appearances when the argument “continued into the intake area” where Smith, 25, then struck the detainee with a closed fist, according to the statement.
Smith was arrested arrested Friday and charged with misconduct in office and third-degree assault and battery.
A statement from the Richland County public information office said the county administration was “disappointed” to learn about Smith’s arrest.
“The alleged actions of Mr. Smith do not meet expectations set forth by Richland County Administration and will not be tolerated by any employee of Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” the statement reads. “The County continues to work diligently to improve conditions of confinement at the jail and bolster staffing levels to mitigate any potential safety and security risks.”
While the statement said that county officials were “confident in the corrective actions and initiatives in place at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” there was no indication whether Smith had been terminated from his position.
He was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. An $11,087.5 personal recognizance bond has been set for the two charges. His first court appearance has been set for May 26.
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This story was originally published April 7, 2023 at 3:16 PM.