A correctional officer in Florida was recently charged with second-degree murder for allegedly beating a 51-year-old inmate to death. Michael Riley, Jr., 27, was taken into custody back in November in connection to the beating death of Christopher Howell.
Howell was serving a four-year sentence at Lake Correctional Institution near Orlando for stealing phone chargers from Target. Riley allegedly beat the man to death while handcuffed and left him in his cell with a broken neck.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Riley was transferred to the Mental Health Unit due to an excessive number of "use of force" reports. During Riley's short tenure as a correctional officer, he racked up 21 use-of-force reports. Days before Howell's murder, another inmate approached facility officials “citing concern for Howell and other alarming behavior from the officer.” They also said Riley had a "hit list" containing the names of other inmates to harass.
Riley has since been released from jail on a $50,000 bail.
Source: nydailynews.com
