3 coastal Georgia sheriff's office employees arrested, charged in inmate’s beating

CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. - Three employees have been arrested in connection to the beating of a 41-year-old inmate inside a coastal Georgia jail.

Following an investigation that involved the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday announced the arrests of 21-year-old Braxton Massey, 23-year-old Mason Garrick and 24-year-old Ryan Biegel. All three have been charged with battery of an inmate and violating the oath of office.

Jarrett Hobbs, a 41-year-old Black man from North Carolina, was booked into the Camden County jail in coastal Georgia on Sept. 3 on traffic violation and drug possession charges. Security video from the same night shows Hobbs standing alone in his cell before five guards rush in and surround him. At least three deputies can be seen landing punches before Hobbs gets dragged from the cell and hurled against a wall.

Mason Garrick, Ryan Biegel, and Braxton Massey, are charged with battery of an inmate, and violating the oath of Office. (Camden County Sheriff's Office)

"It appears there were probable cause to make an arrest of the personnel," GBI Director Michael Register said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. "As a citizen, my reaction was like everyone else’s, it shocked the conscious." 

Register added that as an investigator, the facts needed to be reviewed and put into context.

"There is no way in hell that anybody should be beaten the way this man was beaten," Harry Daniels, an attorney for Hobbs, told reporters at an earlier press conference. "I don’t care what he did. I don’t care if he knocked the damn door down. You don’t beat a person like that."

Additional footage shows a deputy appearing to strap Hobbs into a restraint chair after the beating and not providing medical aid.

"Braxton Massey has been employed 6 months, Mason Garrick 18 months, and Ryan Biegel 3 years with the Sheriff’s Office," the Camden County Sheriff's Office stated in a news release. "All three have been booked into the Camden County Public Safety Complex. The Sheriff’s Office Internal Investigation terminated their employment with The Camden County Sheriff’s Office prior to the arrest."

The Sheriff’s Office said two other employees involved face disciplinary actions resulting from the findings of the internal investigation.

"I appreciate the Georgia Bureau of Investigation assisting our agency with this critical incident that occurred," Sheriff Jim Proctor said in a prepared statement. "The arrest of these employees culminates the criminal investigation and ends their employment with The Camden County Sheriff’s Office."

On Monday, Hobbs’ attorney released a letter that was sent to the Justice Department, asking for the DOJ Civil Rights Division to investigate whether the beating was racially motivated as a hate crime.