Fired guards charged with cuffing Lawrence County inmate to shower

NEW CASTLE, PA. (AP) — Two guards at the Lawrence County Jail have been fired and charged with handcuffing an inmate to a shower stall for more than 30 minutes during which they threw boxes, toilet paper rolls and rubber gloves filled with water at him.

Court records did not list attorneys for the former Lawrence County guards, 40-year-old Michael Antonio and 49-year-old Stephen Richard Smith.

The complaint was brought to Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa. Jailhouse informants provided the information. But the criminal complaint indicates eight inmates and four other jail staff saw the inmate handcuffed to the shower Oct. 19.

The jail’s security video also captured part of the incident.

The guards were released on bond after their arraignments.