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Three Charged in Jackson Co. Jail Fight
07/09/09 - 08:47 PM
Jackson County Floridan
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click for larger image Jackson County, Fla:

The Marianna Police Department said Thursday it has charged three people following an investigation into the alleged beating of an inmate by three other inmates at the Jackson County Correctional Facility.

The alleged incident took place Tuesday morning.

Police reported that inmate Jeffrey Hart, 42, signed an affidavit of complaint against inmate Tony Russ, 25, of Marianna; Donald Webster Lynch, 33, of Chipley; and William Earl Edenfield, 30, of Sneads.

Video footage of the incident, as well as witness statements, resulted in charges being filed against the three accused.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.

The charge of battery on a detention facility detainee is a third degree felony.

All the inmates involved have a history of criminal charges.

In May, Tony Russ was charged with violation of county probation for assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.

That month, Russ was also charged with burglary of a residence, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

Prior to that, Russ was incarcerated April 17 on charges of driving while his license was suspended or revoked and resisting without violence. He was released on a surety bond April 20. At the time of the April 17 arrest, Russ was being sought by law enforcement for charges of resisting arrest and assault on a law enforcement officer from an April 7 incident. In December 2007, Russ was charged with felony battery, according to jail records.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections Web site, Russ was released from the Indian River Correctional Institution in 2003 following a conviction for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement officers in a July 2000 incident, and felony battery in a December 2000 incident.

William Earl Edenfield was arrested on a warrant in June for attempted burglary of a structure and criminal mischief over $200 but less than $1,000.

Edenfield was charged with burglary, attempted burglary, and possession of burglary tools in March.

Also in March, Edenfield was charged with two counts of burglary of a structure, two counts of petit theft and two counts of criminal mischief under $1,000.

Since 1999, Edenfield faced 11 charges of uttering a forged instrument. He was also charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle in 1998, according to the Department of Corrections Web site.

In May, Donald Webster Lynch was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, knowingly driving while his license was suspended, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, robbery with a deadly weapon and felony criminal mischief, according to jail records.

Lynch was also charged with failure to appear for unlawful possession of listed chemicals, attempted manufacture of a controlled substance and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, according to jail records.

From 1992 to 2001, the victim, Jeffrey Hart was charged with the sale/manufacture/ delivery of marijuana in two separate incidents; leaving the scene of an injury accident, aggravated assault with a weapon with no intent to kill, three misdemeanors, burglary of an unoccupied structure/conveyance and armed burglary with an explosive or weapon.

Information on the charges that resulted in Hart’s current incarceration were not available as of press time.

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