Inmate accused in deputy’s stabbing death at Bibb jail charged in new attack on jailers
A Macon man accused of stabbing a Bibb County sheriff’s deputy to death in the Oglethorpe Street jail earlier this year was allegedly involved a new attack on jailers last week at the facility where he was housed in neighboring Monroe County.
On Sept. 28, Albert Dewitt Booze — charged with murder in the April 6 killing of deputy Christopher Wilson Knight — threatened to beat a fellow Monroe inmate “to death,” an incident report said. Booze, who turns 23 later this month, then allegedly punched the inmate repeatedly, headbutted a jailer, threw a metal chair and kicked and bit another jailer.
The Monroe deputies were said to have suffered “minor” injuries in the episode, which ended with them using a Taser to restrain Booze, who had been transferred to the Monroe jail after the fatal incident in Macon’s jail nearly six months ago.
Booze’s most recent alleged violent outburst began last Tuesday night when a fellow inmate at the Forsyth lockup who was on “suicide watch” along with Booze informed jailers that he wanted to be moved away from Booze. That inmate, a 31-year-old College Park man, said, “I don’t feel safe and can’t sleep in here with (Booze),” the report said. “(Booze) is in here doing all this crazy ass (expletive).”
Moments later, according to the report — which was made public on Monday — Booze demanded that a jailer get him away from the other inmate “before I beat this man ass to death.”
Within minutes, while jailers tried to find cell space to separate the men, “Booze stood up ... with his fist clenched ... then walked up to (the other inmate) and began striking him several times.”
The report said deputies rushed into a cell to separate the pair and yelled for Booze to “get back.”
“After separating the inmates and attempting to close the holding cell,” the report said, Booze pushed a deputy aside and bolted into the jail’s booking area. “Booze then grabbed a metal chair and threw it at (a deputy)“ and others nearby, “attempting to strike us.”
Another deputy reportedly grabbed Booze to take him to a cell. Another deputy also helped escort Booze, who was “continuously resisting and fighting,” one deputy’s write-up said. “Booze then started to headbutt me, and struck me on the right side of my face. Booze then started to bite (another deputy) on his right arm.”
When other staffers tried to restrain Booze, the report said one officer drew her Taser but that Booze grabbed the front of it and tried to take it away. Deputies said they began “striking” Booze on the side of his body until Booze let go of the Taser. The officer with “then deployed her Taser, but Booze was still resisting.”
The deputies “were finally able to place handcuffs” on Booze, the report said.
He was later examined for injuries and cleared to return to a cell. He was charged with three counts of obstruction, simple battery and aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Booze was indicted Sept. 14 by a Bibb grand jury on murder and aggravated assault charges in deputy Wilson’s death.
Monroe Sheriff Brad Freeman on Monday said of Booze: “He’s a violent individual. There’s no doubt about that.”