A man in the county jail for the 2012 murder of his roommate assaulted a Rowan County Sheriff’s deputy who was helping to restrain him, just days after he threw urine on two deputies.
Jasper Joe Whitman, 37, was charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, injury to real property, malicious conduct by a prisoner and possession of a dangerous weapon in prison.
Whitman has been in the jail since his arrest last year in the death of Davis Gilyard, who was found inside the trunk of his vehicle.
Arrest warrants say Whitman kicked Sgt. Karen Brindle in the face, causing a cut to her nose. She was trying to help other deputies restrain Whitman. The incident occurred on April 4 inside the jail. The officers were searching Whitman because of incidents in the days prior. On April 3, two deputies went to Whitman’s pod to escort him downstairs, said Capt. John Sifford.
The officer unlocked a front “trap” door used to place cuffs on an inmate when Whitman tossed a cup of urine toward the deputy. The urine landed on the two deputies. Whitman cursed at the deputies and told them he planned do that every day.
On March 31, a detention officer was notified that Whitman was going to cut officers. A search of his pod revealed he’d ripped a piece of metal from the wall above his bunk. Whitman received a $20,000 secured bond for the most recent incidents. He was already in the jail without bond for the murder charges.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253. Twitter: www.twitter.com/salpostpotts Facebook: www.facebook.com/Shavonne.SalisburyPost