Department of Corrections Emergency Response Team faces criticism for “aggressive” actions

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Attorneys for the family of deceased prison inmate Othel Moore say there is a pattern of abuse in the Missouri Department of Corrections and want more information about the Corrections Emergency Response Team, known as CERT.

In a press conference Thursday, attorneys called for the DOC to hand over video and investigative reports, as well as the names of the officers who make up CERT and the unit's policies and procedures.

"It's a specialized, rogue unit known for aggressive, unconstitutional, illegal searches and abuse of inmates," said civil rights attorney Andrew Stroth.

Civil rights attorney Steven Hart said too many Black men are dying in prison at the hands of authority.

"They call in these hit squads, these paramilitary squads, they refer to them as extraction teams. Essentially, what we have come to learn, is by any means necessary, they attack and render incapacitated individuals, and oftentimes it leads to death, as it has in Othel's case," Hart said. "And it's got to stop."

MoDOC Spokesperson Karen Pojmann said in an email every department of corrections and large jail system has a CERT team. She said their role is to respond to and resolve major disturbances within DOC facilities. They also carry out planned site searches and find and remove weapons, drugs and dangerous contraband.

"A Corrections Emergency Response Team is a team of respected Department of Corrections employees specifically trained to respond to emergency situations and to bolster the safety and security of our facilities," Pojmann said.

The advocacy group Missouri Prison Reform said CERT is known for extreme violence, property damage and aggression. Founder and executive director Lori Curry said she would like to see the unit disbanded.

"I think with some different trainings for staff, with preventative measures, de-escalation training, these things could be prevented and not needed," Curry said.

She said Missouri Prison Reform has heard multiple stories of CERT members being unnecessarily violent.

"They go in and do large sweeps of housing units, wings and prisons looking for contraband. But when they do these, they destroy property." Curry said. "They cut people's TV cords, they tear up pictures of people's loved ones, they will tear things up and dump liquids on people's personal property."

Curry said in the case of Moore, her understanding is that Moore was refusing to be moved to a different unit. She said Missouri Prison Reform has spoken to someone who has seen an incident report relating to Moore's death, in which certain pepper spray and medical policies were allegedly not followed.

Attorneys for the Moore family say other inmates said this team pepper sprayed Moore and put him in a restraint. Attorneys said Moore was bleeding and said he couldn't breathe.

"So often in these cases, we see that the sanctity and dignity of human life is ignored," Hart said. "And sadly, we're seeing it played out again."

Missouri DOC was not able to respond to questions about the use of CERT relating to Moore's death due to an ongoing investigation, according to Pojmann.

Civil rights attorney Larry Disparti said his firm expects to file a lawsuit in a few weeks against the DOC, the Jefferson City Correctional Center and the individuals allegedly involved in Moore's death.

Four Missouri DOC staff were fired this week after an internal investigation into Moore's death. Curry said she believes more people need to be held accountable including a CERT lieutenant and facility administration at Jefferson City Correctional Center.

According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, 38-year-old Moore died on Dec. 8 at Jefferson City Correctional Center. He was serving a 30-year sentence for charges of domestic assault, drug possession, robbery, armed criminal action and violence to a prison inmate or employee.

Moore's family had previously said he complained for years about abuse and mistreatment from correctional officers.

The Cole County Sheriff's Office is also conducting an independent investigation and an autopsy report is in progress. Sheriff John Wheeler said in an email Thursday he cannot comment on the open investigation, and an autopsy report can sometimes take up to six months.