Former Hudson Valley Officer Jailed For Brutal Inmate Beating
A now-former Hudson Valley corrections officer was sentenced for his role in the brutal beating of an inmate and cover-up.
On Thursday, 33-year-old Carson Morris, a former New York State Correction Officer, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for the November 2013, beating of 54-year-old Kevin Moore, an inmate at the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, and for falsifying records to cover up the beating.
In November 2017, Morris admitted he assaulted Moore by repeatedly hitting him as he laid restrained on the floor. He also confessed he conspired to violate Moore’s civil rights, as well as falsified and conspired to falsify records about the assault.
Moore was hospitalized for about two weeks with multiple serious injuries from the beating, including facial bone fractures, five broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.
According to the evidence introduced at the trial, on November 12, 2013, Moore was brought to the 1D Housing Unit at Downstate Correctional Facility to be housed overnight. Moore objected to his cell assignment and a verbal dispute ensued between Moore and a group of correction officers.
After Moore yelled, multiple officers forced Moore to the floor, held him down and repeatedly punched and kicked Moore in the head and body.
At no time did Moore ever try to attack, touch, or even make a threatening gesture toward any of the officers.
After the beating, officers made up a story that Moore hit an officer, which led to the beating.
To create a phony injury, one officer hit another officer repeatedly on the back with a baton and took photos of the fake injury and filed a use of force report.
In July, Kathy Scott and George Santiago Jr. were sentenced for their roles in the beating. Andrew Lowery and Donald Cosman also pleaded guilty to similar offenses.