PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri announced on Thursday that a corrections deputy has been fired and arrested for beating an inmate. The incident happened while the inmate was restrained in a hospital bed recovering from surgery.
The situation involves 56-year-old George Miller, who has been in jail since May 2025 on charges including felony battery and burglary.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Miller was known for being a difficult inmate. In November, Miller had a medical emergency and was taken to a local hospital. On the night of December 1, Deputy James Jones was assigned to watch him.
Jones claimed that Miller was throwing a “temper tantrum” around 8:00 p.m. However, a registered nurse nearby heard a loud argument. She reported seeing Deputy Jones deliver a “slam-dunk” style punch to Miller’s chest.
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Later that night, the nurse saw a cut above Miller’s eye and a bruise on his cheek. Miller told her the deputy had punched him.
The nurse reported what she saw, which sparked an investigation. Officials found that Miller had no injuries before the argument. While Deputy Jones claimed Miller tried to kick him, the evidence didn’t match his story. Jones was arrested on January 28 and immediately fired.
Sheriff Gualtieri was clear that the deputy’s actions were criminal. “There was simply no lawful reason for Deputy Jones to strike Miller,” Gualtieri said. “He lost his temper and he split open Miller’s eye, punched him in the chest… and he has to be accountable for that.”
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