5 Ga. prison guards accused of beating inmates

PELHAM, Ga. (AP) -- Authorities in south Georgia say five state prison guards accused of assaulting inmates have been fired and arrested.

Mitchell County District Attorney Joe Mulholland told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ( http://bit.ly/1ewZ6jh ) on Thursday the guards are accused of beating inmates at the Autry State Prison in Pelham Feb. 8 and one guard is accused of destroying video footage of the incident.

Three guards are charged with battery and violating their oaths, one is charged with simple assault and violating his oath, and the fifth guard is charged with tampering with evidence and violating his oath.

Georgia Department of Corrections officials told the newspaper the agency sent internal affairs to investigate and it takes allegations of inmate abuse very seriously.

Mulholland says he expects to present the case to a grand jury.