I think I would call this a win-win.

The six Georgia inmates who jumped into action and saved the life of a deputy who passed out will get a reward of shorter sentences, the sheriff said Tuesday.

"Anytime we have a trustee or inmate crew, that goes beyond normal duties, we cut them some extra time off," Polk County Sheriff, Johnny Moats, said.

The Polk County officer, who was not identified in reports, collapsed and was unconscious, WXIA reported. The inmates noticed the medical emergency and quickly removed his shirt, opened his bulletproof vest and performed chest compressions, while another inmate called for an ambulance.

"When he started breathing, it was just real heavy and real fast,” one of the inmates told the station. The officer’s family provided the inmates with lunch and desserts for their action.

"When that happened, in my opinion, it wasn't about who is in jail and who wasn't," the inmate said. "It was about a man going down and we had to help him."

Sheriff Moats that he would take off about one-fourth of the inmates' sentences for their heroic actions. In addition, the inmates are being treated to homemade lunch and desserts prepared by the officer's family.

The deputy suffers from chronic Chiari malformation, which causes fluids to not flow properly. The high humidity reportedly may have contributed to his collapse.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017...-who-passed-out.html

Good stuff.

I'm guessing if they are in county lock-up their crimes are relatively minor.

Their good deeds hopefully indicate they are amenable to rehabilitation.

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One would think this individual would be physically disqualified from being an armed watchstander.

quote:

Originally posted by domcintosh:
One would think this individual would be physically disqualified from being an armed watchstander.

You would think.

I work in hospitals and routinely see COs escort in inmates... sadly some of the guards don't look like they could run across the parking lot.

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Good for them.

I'm curious though, can a Sheriff unilaterally reduce an inmate's sentence?

Rather ironic if this is where they were at when they saved his life.

I can only say that in Texas, the sheriff is in charge of the county jail. He does have the power, within the limits of the statutes, to release inmates from his jails - good time, overcrowding, etc. Of course the sheriff is elected, and can expect to be called to task by his next opponent if he releases inmates willy-nilly. There is a natural check built in, and it is probably also true that most sheriffs don't see themselves as being in the letting-inmates-out-of-jail business.

But I got a client out of jail on a contempt finding once for this reason. The judge attempted, in the order committing my client to jail, to order the sheriff to not release my client until he had served the whole 180 days the court sentenced him to. The court cannot do that in Texas, as the jails are under the sheriff's control and not the court's. Attempting to include that provision in the order made it void under Texas law, and the court had to let my client out. The judge didn't even know it until I brought my motion, and then said in essence, "I'll be damned," and ordered him promptly released.

Sheriffs do not control the state penitentiaries, which are run by Texas Dept. of Corrections, and sheriffs have no power over the TDC or the penitentiary.