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An inmate who reportedly assaulted Dylann Roof at the Charleston County Detention Center is out on bond.

According to court records, 25-year-old Dwayne Stafford was released Friday night.

Stafford had been in jail on charges of strong armed robbery, assault and lying to police.

Bond was set at more than $100,000 for Stafford’s charges.

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office has “no control” on how or who posts bond for incarcerated inmates, Maj. Eric Watson said Friday night of Stafford’s release on bond.

Officials with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office say Stafford assaulted Roof Thursday morning at the detention center; Roof and his attorneys are not pressing charges in the jail assault.

Earlier on Friday, CCSO officials said there were “obvious violations” by a detention officer who was supposed to be watching Roof at the time Stafford assaulted Roof. 

Sheriff Al Cannon said Roof was let out of his cell at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday to take a shower.

Officers checked cells in the area prior to that to make sure they were locked, he said.

But Cannon said Stafford ran down the stairs and assaulted Roof quickly before Roof had stepped into the shower.

Investigators say Roof was apparently struck with a fist.

Detention officers responded and separated the two and an investigation was immediately launched, Cannon said.

According to Cannon, Roof is always escorted by detention officers, but that an officer was dropping off toilet paper when the assault happened and a second officer was taking a break, something he says is not common procedure during the time an inmate would be taking a shower.

The detention officers had been on shift for approximately 15 minutes when the assault happened, deputies say.

Authorities also provided access to surveillance video on Friday showing what happened right before and after Roof was assaulted in a shower at the jail.

The video shows Stafford escaping from his cell 23 minutes after Roof went downstairs to the shower.

Members of the media were allowed to view the footage, but not take pictures or video.

” [The] disclosure of video of the internal physical layout and configuration of this particular housing unit could endanger the life and health of both inmates and detention officers due to its purpose and the nature of inmates housed therein,” CCSO officials said.

Roof, charged with murder in the deaths of nine people at Mother Emanuel AME church in June 2015, is being held in solitary confinement at the Charleston County Detention Center.

He is escorted out of his cell daily for recreation time and showers.

 

 

Source:  Live5News