A Hanover Township man who admitted to shooting a Butler County, Ohio, Sheriff's deputy in April claims the deputy's colleagues have "tortured" him while he awaits sentencing in the county jail.
In a letter to the JournalNews, Mark Kendrick, 25, said he has been in isolation since his April 20 arrest for the shooting of Deputy Brandon Roberts in the parking lot of the Lazy Dog drive through in Milford Township.
Roberts, 26, was seriously injured but survived the shooting.
According to Kendrick, deputies in the jail have told him: "You shoot one of us, you shoot all of us."
The Millville man said he was beaten up in the jail, placed in a chair and restraints and left screaming for hours. He also claims that he has developed sores on his body because he has been allowed only seven showers since June 26.
"Just when I thought things could get no worse, they tried to feed me warden burgers," Kendrick wrote, explaining that he's allergic to onions, one of the ingredients in the warden burger.
"They're trying to starve me until I eat it, to force me to poison myself," Kendrick wrote. "This is just another form of torture."
Kendrick also claims he had "begged" his attorney, Greg Howard, to get him moved to another jail, but to no avail.
Sheriff's officials deny Kendrick's claims of mistreatment.
Sheriff's spokesman Monte Mayer said Kendrick was placed in isolation because of disciplinary problems.
Initially, the isolation was to last 30 days, but officials said Kendrick continues to create problems. Among the infractions for which Kendrick has been cited are kicking and banging on his cell door, using vulgar language and improper use of the intercom system.
Additionally, Mayer said Kendrick was examined by a physician on Wednesday specifically regarding his claims that he's allergic to onions.
Kendrick in June pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder, felonious assault, three counts of aggravated robbery, complicity to aggravated robbery, two counts of grand theft, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, tampering with evidence, complicity to tampering with evidence, intimidation, receiving stolen property, having weapons under disability, unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance and burglary.
Many of the charges include gun specifications that will add time to his sentence, which could total up to 108 years in prison.