‘Violation of Civil Rights’ alleged indictment source

As a follow-up to the report last week of a Fulton County Detention Center’s employee’s indictment, additional information was released from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Kentucky.

James Eakes, a deputy jailer at the Fulton County Detention Center in Hickman, received a one-count indictment on Aug. 16 for violating the civil rights of an inmate by assaulting him with a dangerous weapon, by a federal grand jury in Paducah.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Kentucky, Eakes willfully deprived an inmate of the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Eakes assaulted the inmate with a dangerous weapon, resulting in bodily injury to the inmate.

If convicted of the civil rights charge, Eakes faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

According to the press release, the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and an indictment is merely an accusation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Madison Sewell of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Zachary Dembo of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.