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Inmate accused of attacking deputy, Hillsborough County jail security video new focus of case

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Published  October 28, 2024 5:14pm EDT
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News

Legal wrangling over jailhouse attack video

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports on the legal wrestling going on between the prosecution and defense over whether to show a jailhouse attack video of Raheem Fulton in court.

TAMPA, Fla. - A Hillsborough County inmate's pretrial detention hearing is in limbo after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office requested a judge block the media from recording security video of an attack on a detention deputy when it's played in the courtroom.

Attorneys for the state and the defendant, Raheem Fulton, believe the video is critical to the judge's decision. The judge is expected to rule on HCSO's request Tuesday morning.

During Fulton's hearing Monday, HCSO Detective Robert Wright testified about the attack and the video of the incident.

Raheem Fulton is accused of attacking a detention deputy.

Investigators said Fulton was being questioned by a detention deputy inside one of the jail's housing units. Wright said, when the deputy tried to place Fulton in handcuffs, Fulton attacked and hit the deputy in the face multiple times. The attack went on for four minutes before anyone intervened.

"In the midst of the struggle, [the deputy] lost his radio, fell to the ground. It was not within his reach. He was unable to call for help or anything like that," Wright said.

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Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said she plans to try this case herself and push for the maximum 30-year sentence for Fulton, who she said has a history of violent crimes.

"It makes my stomach churn, but it also makes my blood boil, what he did to this deputy," said Lopez.

The request from the sheriff's office comes despite the agency releasing video of similar incidents in the past, including attacks on deputies in 2022, 2020, 2017 and 2010.

Sheriff Chad Chronister explained why he believes this video shouldn't be viewed yet.

"Until we could get some mechanisms in there and mitigate some of these security problems that we've identified with this act of violence against our deputy -- I thought some other people might see it and might think, 'hey, listen, if this one can do it, I can do it too,'" Chronister said. "That's the only reason. At some point when I fix it, I'll release it then."

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