Cuffed, shackled Cobb County inmate punched and choked by deputy
I-Team: Inmate punched by deputy while cuffed
Some video out of Cobb County has come to light that shows an inmate at a local hospital seeking care being punched and grabbed around the neck by a deputy. The original video alarmed people enough that they asked the FOX 5 I-Team to take a look.
MARIETTA - The FOX 5 I-Team has obtained video of a Cobb County inmate being punched repeatedly by a deputy then put into an oxygen-depriving chokehold for nearly a minute. William Carducci was handcuffed to a waist chain and his ankles were in shackles at the time.
The 27-year-old had been transported from the Cobb County Jail to a local hospital for what his lawyer called an "infection." He was in a hospital room when the extreme methods to subdue him were used.
What we know:
This video was captured in what a hospital spokesperson called a waiting area for inmates with mental health histories.
On Feb. 3, Carducci stood up from bed and walked over to the doorway. Very quickly, the shackled and cuffed inmate was surrounded by two armed deputies. Carducci doesn't appear to push back as he is shoved inside the room.
Within seconds, he is punched five times. A short time later he is hit once again. The officers tried to put Carducci on the bed, but he did seem to grab at it. That's when Carducci is dragged into a corner and held around the neck until he sinks into the ground nearly motionless. He's held in this chokehold for 56 seconds.
What they're saying:
His attorney, Scott Anderson, calls this video "shocking" and "despicable."
"He didn't appear to be aggressive to me in any way. There's no sound. I can't hear what he said, but no matter what he said, he's shackled, hands and feet. There appear to be three of them plus a security guard. I don't know what threat he could've posed to anybody," Anderson said moments after watching the full video stream.
Carducci has been incarcerated since November 2022. Court records show he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His attorney says he's been waiting for a bed at a mental health facility much of this time.
Full security video of inmate's beating at Cobb hospital
The video was captured in what a hospital spokesperson called a waiting area for inmates with mental health histories. In it, a deputy punched a Cobb County inmate repeatedly and then put him into an oxygen-depriving chokehold for nearly a minute.
Why you should care:
The medical community has long said that chokeholds can cause extreme harm. When the body is deprived of oxygen the result can be brain damage, stroke, even death.
The Cobb County Sheriff's office limits its use. Rules require a use-of-force incident report to be filed. The FOX 5 I-Team asked for use-of-force reports, but none came back that day for William Carducci. The department has now opened an internal investigation, so it won't comment on this video. But, the department's own policies read that this detainment technique is only to be employed when deadly use of force is required; it's not for an unarmed, non-dangerous suspect. There must be "imminent danger."
"I mean, the only person in danger was Mr. Carducci," his attorney told the FOX 5 I-Team.
The backstory:
William Carducci was arrested in 2022 and faces 12 criminal counts including aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, and theft against family members. With a diagnosis of schizophrenia, it's still not determined if he is mentally competent to stand trial.
He is supposed to be on heavy medication to manage auditory hallucinations - or voices. That medicine can cause loss of balance and difficulty sitting still.
The Source: The video comes from a fisheye camera located at the top of the hospital holding room. The FOX 5 I-Team examined court records from Mr. Carducci's California court appearances where he is deemed mentally unwell. His 12-count indictment is part of the Cobb County court record. The Cobb County police handbook is clear about how it applies chokehold maneuvers.