A Cell Block Attendant is now being charged for deprivation of rights after investigators claim he abused a man in custody.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, on May 19, Matthew Jaskula pushed a man who was handcuffed face-first into a door, causing the door to fly open. Investigators claim the victim then hit his face again on a shelf before falling to the ground.
Jaskula is accused of then dragging the victim 10 to 15 feet to an open cell, where he was left bleeding and put in a restraint chair used for non-compliant prisoners. Jaskula reportedly left the victim in the chair for about an hour and 45 minutes without seeking medical attention.
According to U.S. Attorney William Hochul, Buffalo Police Headquarters has a video recording system that captured Jaskula's actions.
"As our office has demonstrated in the past, we will not tolerate the alleged abuse of any individual in custody," said U.S. Attorney Hochul. "I commend the Buffalo Police Department for once again immediately bringing this incident to our attention."
Jaskula is scheduled to appear in court on June 10 at 9am.
The department has just released a statement saying that Jaskula is suspended for 30 days without pay and an internal investigation has been opened.
If convicted, Jaskula faces the maximum penalty of 10 years in prisons and a $250,000 fine.
