LAWRENCE CO.—Lawrence County’s court security officer is on paid administrative leave after an incident with an intoxicated—but restrained—suspect allegedly turned violent.
The incident occurred on the evening of Thursday, September 4, after Gary McMahon, 50, of Jefferson County, had allegedly gotten into a fight at a bar in Westport, and responding officers learned that he had a warrant out of his home county for failure to appear in a court case in JeffCo.
Bloody brawl
Authorities tell Disclosure that the brawl turned bloody.
“He was in the bar with his son,” said a Lawrence County official, “and the son was reported to have busted a beer bottle over his head.”
Both were taken in to the county jail, with McMahon being advised of the Jefferson County warrant.
At this point, authorities said, he was belligerent and combative, and “threatening to kill everybody.”
McMahon was cuffed and placed in the restraint chair at the jail for the safety of himself and the officers around him.
Hurled bloody spit
As McMahon was bleeding profusely from the head injury, deputies had called emergency medical services, and they had arrived and were preparing to examine him when McMahon decided to turn his belligerence toward the law enforcement officers on duty.
One of those officers was Mike Rich, former chief jailer and current court security officer.
Witnesses said that as Rich was actually turning to walk away from the restrained McMahon when the intoxicated man drew up a wad of spit and hurled it at Rich.
The spit was combined with blood from the dripping head wound and was, in its composition, particularly nasty.
Rich, according to witnesses, was instantly furious, already having to deal with McMahon’s belligerence and verbal abuse.
Rich then was alleged to have raged across the room and, in what was described as a sort of “karate” move, reared back and landed a kick square on the restrained man’s chest.
McMahon didn’t show any sign of serious injury from the kick, but complained mightily, especially to the three or four witnesses (officers and EMTs) that were present.
No harm to McMahon from the kick
EMTs took McMahon to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for attention to the head wound, and he subsequently needed stitches. It was determined that he was barely bruised from the kick that was landed to the chest, and no harm was done.
To McMahon, anyway.
Because of McMahon’s complaints about the incident, sheriff’s department officials knew that they were going to have to address it officially. So Chief Deputy Trent Masterson called Illinois State Police, and MSgt Ryan Schumaker contacted county prosecutor Chris Quick Friday morning, Sept. 5, for a formal request to have ISP investigate the incident.
Rich was placed on administrative leave with pay, which was how Sheriff Russell Adams was advised to handle it when Adams called the attorney representing the union of which Rich, and other sheriff’s department employees, are a part.
Problems in the past
This wouldn’t be Rich’s first problem that the union has had to step in over his employment.
In 2005, Rich was suspended from his job as a jailer after allegations were made that Rich was offering cigarettes and snacks to jailed female inmates if they would display their bare breasts to him. Enough women came forward with the complaint that then-sheriff Dennis Bridwell had no choice but to suspend Rich pending outcome of the investigation.
Rich was reported to have admitted that this behavior did indeed take place. But, because of union protection, he was able to successfully fight to get his job back after taking the matter to court.
What will happen this time remains to be seen.
When reached for comment, Lawrence County Sheriff Russell Adams said “Mike’s a good guy, but I have to do what I have to do. It was a complaint, so ISP was called and we’re going to let them investigate it and handle it.”
State’s Attorney Chris Quick confirmed to Disclosure that Schumaker had contacted him to begin the investigation, but had no further comment on the matter other than to state that McMahon was arrested on the Jefferson County warrant, and charges against him in Lawrence were being reviewed.
Disclosure was unable to reach Rich as of press time.