Scranton: A Pennsylvania county jail guard has been placed on paid leave and charged with simple assault for allegedly pepper-spraying an inmate's genitals.
The (Scranton) Times-Tribune says the incident involving Lackawanna County jail Sgt. Scott Blume occurred Sept. 24, but didn't come to light until the inmate wrote to a judge to complain Oct. 18.
District Attorney Shane Scanlon says in a criminal complaint that the incident happened after the inmate became intoxicated from homemade alcohol made from leftover fruit. That's when Blume made the inmate change clothes so he could be placed in restrictive housing and sprayed the inmate through a jail door opening when he refused to change.
Scanlon says he filed the charges because force wasn't necessary.
Blume's attorney declined comment Tuesday. Blume faces a disciplinary hearing and could be fired.
