ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A Ross County inmate is dead, another is injured, and a jail employee has been fired.
It happened last week, according to sources close to the incident. Bill White, a man who was first brought over to help clean up the Ross County Jail from the prison system was terminated following allegations of excessive force.
Ross County Sheriff George Lavender released a statement Monday saying, “As your Sheriff. I am committed to protecting the health and well-being of all inmates at the Ross County Jail. Correctional staff, including supervisors and members of the Ross County Sheriff’s Office administration, are therefore held to a high standard. Unfortunately, an incident occurred at the jail on February 9, 2023, in which an officer’s conduct fell below that standard. I acted swiftly to terminate the officer and refer the matter to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) for a full and independent investigation. The BCI investigation is ongoing. Any criminal charges that might result will be handled outside my office to maintain neutrality. I remain firm that misconduct by officers, regardless of their rank, will not be tolerated.”
The inmate, whose name was not released, was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. A forensic autopsy was performed over the weekend with detectives from Ross County and Agents with BCI observing.
A second inmate was transported to Adena Regional Medical Center with rib injuries. As reported by the Guardian, that inmate, Ronnie Pettiford, Jr. Attempted to escape and was taken back to the Ross County Jail.
*A previous picture was used in the article that was incorrect. It has been since taken down. The Guardian extends our apologies for any confusion.