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BROWARD SHERIFF TERMINATES DEPUTY WHO PUNCHED HANDCUFFED SUSPECT
At a news conference on October 30, Sheriff Gregory Tony announced the termination of Deputy Jorge Sobrino. Sobrino had been under investigation by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs for punching a suspect who was handcuffed to a hospital bed. The incident took place on Jan. 1, 2019.
The internal affairs investigation determined Sobrino violated several BSO policies including the Use of Force, Discretion and Conformity to Laws. The Professional Standards Committee (PSC) recommended a 30-day suspension.
After Sheriff Tony considered the entire professional standards disciplinary process, he said Sobrino’s actions were egregious, and his misconduct warranted termination. Sobrino was terminated on Tuesday, October 29. His criminal case for misdemeanor battery is pending.
The incident happened in January 2019 in a hospital room at Broward Health North medical center and was captured on the officer’s body camera, which the deputy actually points out to the victim, was recording. Deputy Jorge Sobrino has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery.
If convicted, the deputy faces a maximum punishment of up to one year in jail.
David Rafferty O’Connell, of Boca Raton, had been arrested and taken to the hospital for medical clearance after witnesses said he tried to fight an
employee in a Pompano Beach store. The body camera video shows Sobrino
punching the inmate while he was handcuffed to his bed.
According to the deputy’s union president; “If you slow down the video, and watch it frame by frame, you’ll see the deputy was assaulted first and was defending himself. Watch the video, and judge for yourself.
