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Wheelchair Deputy Arrested, Released On Bail

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By LOIS KINDLE | The Tampa Tribune
and CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2008

Updated: 02/16/2008 02:30 pm

TAMPA - A Hillsborough County detention deputy who dumped a quadriplegic man from his wheelchair was arrested this morning on a charge of abuse of a disabled person, records show.

Charlette Marshall-Jones, 44, turned herself in to authorities and was booked into the Orient Road Jail at 5:19 a.m. before being released about an hour later on $3,500 bail, records show. A warrant for her arrest was announced last night by Sheriff David Gee.

Records show the veteran deputy is being represented by Tampa attorney Norman Cannella Sr.

The circumstances of her arrest were not immediately known.

Reached on his cell phone this morning, Cannella said he didn't plan to issue a statement to the news media.

"I'm not going to try the matter in the press,'' he said. "I'll make all my comments in court.''

Some residents in Marshall-Jones' neighborhood were unaware of the incident that has captured nationwide attention. But Carmella DeJesus, her next-door neighbor, said she was shocked by the news.

"I recognized her in the video and I couldn't believe it," DeJesus said. "To me, she's very normal, very sweet. She works in her yard with her [partner], has her family over; she's a very nice woman.

On Jan. 29, video cameras recorded Marshall-Jones raising the back of a wheelchair and sending Brian Sterner tumbling to the floor. Sterner, 32, of Riverview, was taken to the jail on a warrant stemming from a traffic violation. He remained on the floor as Marshall-Jones searched him.

Two of Marshall-Jones' supervisors have been suspended, and another has been put on unpaid leave, pending the outcome of an investigation.

Sterner was arrested at his home and taken to the jail on a charge of fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, according to records.

He posted $2,000 bond and was released Feb 3.

A warrant for his arrest was issued after an Oct. 25 incident in which Tampa police stopped him in Ybor City. He was stopped while driving a Mini Cooper that had been fitted with hand pedals and was cited for blocking an intersection. Though classified as a quadriplegic, he has partial use of his arms.

Sterner and his attorney, John Trevena, have said there is a second incident of abuse involving him at the jail that involved Marshall-Jones and another person. They would not elaborate on the incident, which occurred while Sterner was being fingerprinted and wasn't caught on camera.

Sterner gave a statement at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office late Friday afternoon, and Trevena said Gee directly apologized to him.

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at cmoncada@tampatrib.com or (727) 451-2333. Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at lkindle@tampatrib.com or (813) 865-1553.

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