Barrow County sheriff condemns pepper-spraying inmates’ food, stands by GBI's probe

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said he was stunned that one of his detention officers was accused of putting pepper spray on some of the inmates’ food at the county jail. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to handle the case and ultimately charged 50-year-old veteran jailer Lolita Lightner with cruelty to inmates and violation of oath of office. 

The sheriff said this was an unusual case; a detention officer is supposed to protect and take care of inmates, but this former jailer is charged with harming them. 

"I am shocked; it’s not an action that we expect any officer of the law to be involved in," Sheriff Smith said. 

The sheriff said he disapproved of what happened and immediately called in the GBI to investigate after realizing Lightner had apparently drizzled pepper spray on the breakfast trays of the inmates. 

"Obviously, she did it, I would assume, to give extra punishment to the inmates," Sheriff Smith pondered. 

The sheriff said the five inmates immediately had a reaction when they started eating the tainted breakfast. 

"Pepper spray burns. It's not a comfortable feeling; therefore, they started feeling a hot burning sensation in their mouth, so we had medical staff check them out," the sheriff said. 

GBI investigators charged Lightner, while the sheriff's office fired her. The sheriff said he condemns the alleged actions of his officer. 

"She's no different than anyone else. It's not our job to dole out punishment, and this was certainly not justified," the sheriff said. 

The sheriff said Lightner had no serious blemishes on her record and was very popular at the jail. 

He said she turned herself in when she realized there were two warrants for her arrest.