Inmates come to guard's aid in jail attack

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/04/florida.jail.attack/index.html

November 4, 2009 9:14 p.m. EST
(CNN) -- Hillsborough County, Florida, Deputy Kenneth Moon was alone at his station at a county jail facility near Tampa when an inmate attacked him with no warning.

Moon, 64, was no match for Douglas Burden, 24, in custody on various drug charges. With Moon still in his chair, Burden put him in a choke hold and pulled tight.

And then, surveillance video of the Monday attack showed, other inmates jumped into the fray.

But the other inmates joined the fight on the guard's side, pulling Burden away from Moon and punching him in the head. One inmate grabbed Moon's radio and called for back-up. The inmates held Burden down until other guards arrived as one of them extended a hand to help Moon up, according to the video.

Col. James Previtera, commander of Hillsborough County's Department of Detention Services, told reporters he believed that the inmates "saved the deputy's life."

"The response of the inmates in this case, I think, speaks volumes as to the fact that we treat these men and women ... in our facilities with a lot of respect," Previtera said.

Previtera said that Burden was moved to administrative confinement after the attack and that Moon was not seriously hurt.