ASOTIN — An Asotin County jailer was placed on unpaid administrative leave Thursday after being charged with second-degree assault for an alleged use of force against an inmate.
Sgt. Arthur W. Musser was investigated by the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office and placed on leave April 5 for an incident that occurred May 30, 2021. He was formally charged this week in Asotin County Superior Court.
According to court documents, Musser is facing a Class B felony for allegedly stunning inmate Steven Eckhart in the chest with a Taser. Investigators determined the inmate had not made any movements toward the defendant before being struck with the stun gun.
Eckhart said he had “never felt such pain in his life,” according to the probable-cause affidavit.
A video reportedly shows Musser also placing the Taser directly on Eckhart’s right calf when he was lying down and motionless in his cell. A later review of the Taser indicates it was reportedly activated three times.
Musser told another jailer he thought Eckhart was going to fight him and was being uncooperative, according to the report.
In a news release issued Thursday, Undersheriff Jody Brown said the sheriff’s office was made aware of the complaint on March 31.
Sheriff John Hilderbrand immediately contacted the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an investigation of the alleged incident, Brown said. Musser was placed on paid administrative leave April 5 pending the outcome.
The investigation was completed May 19 and sent to Asotin County Prosecutor Ben Nichols, who immediately forwarded the completed investigation documents to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for review and possible charges against Musser.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 3.
Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com.
