A Utah County deputy sheriff has been acquitted of civil rights charges that alleged he beat two jail inmates in 1990.
The federal court jury deliberated about an hour before acquitting deputy Harold L. Curtis on Monday."The facts as presented did not support the allegations and the allegations were very serious," defense attorney Peter Stirba said. "The proof didn't support it."
Curtis, 32, of Springville, will return to duty in the sheriff's animal-control division.
A March 1993 indictment was obtained after FBI agents heard inmate complaints.
Curtis testified he did not use excessive force in subduing arrestees Jason Tolman on Jan. 28, 1990, and Jay Fixel on June 18, 1990. Both had been booked on alcohol-related offenses.
"There was no question with the one inmate that it was necessary to what they call `prone' a person because he was fairly intoxicated and for security reasons he needed to be patted down," Stirba said.
In the other incident, Curtis testified he used his knee to pin down the inmate after the prisoner became unruly and threatened other officers with a chair.