MIAMI — Four state correctional officers are accused of beating an inmate to death at a South Florida prison after he threw urine at one of them, authorities allege.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Thursday announced the arrests of Ronald Connor, 24, Christopher Rolon, 29, and Kirk Walton, 34, in connection with the Valentine's Day incident at Dade Correctional Institution.
A fourth correction officer, Jeremy Godbolt, was arrested Friday.
According to FDLE investigators, an inmate at the Miami-Dade County prison was scheduled to be transferred to Lake Correctional Institution in central Florida.
WATCH: State attorney announces arrests of correctional officers after inmate's death
Investigators said the inmate "reportedly threw urine on one officer" as he was being removed from his cell in the mental health unit, prompting officers to place him in handcuffs.
Even though he was in handcuffs and "compliant," the officers began to beat him, agents said.
"The inmate was beaten so badly he had to be carried to the transport van," the FDLE said. "Once inside, he was placed in a secure compartment by himself."
On the way to the prison, the van made a stop in Ocala, where the inmate was found dead on a bench inside.
The medical examiner later determined the cause of death was a punctured lung that led to internal bleeding.
Investigators said the inmate also had injuries to his face and torso consistent with a beating.
The inmate who died was Ronald Ingram. A search of the Florida Department of Corrections inmate database listed Ingram, 60, as deceased.
Ingram had been serving a life sentence for murder.
Connor, Rolon and Walton were arrested Thursday morning and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a news conference Friday afternoon to announce the charges against the officers.
"One can never enforce the law when one is breaking the law," Fernandez Rundle said.
