November 1, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
Four prisoners at the DeKalb County Jail have been charged with assaulting fellow inmates.
44 year old Jermaine Derperise McCoy of Smith Road, Smithville; 30 year old Jeremiah Daniel Martin of Martin Lane, Smithville; 27 year old Ronald Deshon Reeder of Smith Road, Smithville, and 40 year old Michael Chad Owens of Shady Drive, Smithville are each charged with assault. Bond for each is $5,000 and they will make a court appearance on November 18.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on October 22 while bringing inmates to the jail, a correctional officer heard banging on the cell door of the jail annex as he was walking through the hallway. When he opened the window flap on the cell door, the officer saw an inmate pointing toward the opposite side of the annex. Officers entered and found an inmate who had been assaulted struggling to stand against the wall as other inmates were yelling at him. After reviewing jail video surveillance footage, the correctional officer saw that McCoy, Martin, and Reeder were all involved in the assault by striking and kicking the injured inmate several times.
The charge against Owens was for a separate inmate assault on the same day.
Sheriff Ray said that on October 22 while passing lunch to inmates at the annex door, a correctional officer noticed that several prisoners in the cell had formed a circle. The officer entered the annex and found an inmate bleeding from his mouth, nose, and elbow. Owens was yelling at the injured inmate. After reviewing jail video surveillance, the correctional officer saw that Owens had been the aggressor by striking the inmate several times.