Juvenile jail inmate attacked by court official testifies in court

PINE BLUFF, AR - A former juvenile jail inmate attacked by a court official last year in Pine Bluff took the stand in a federal civil trial Tuesday.

Surveillance video from inside the jail shows court Chief of Staff Roderick Shelby and Chaderious Avery in a tussle, and Avery suffered bruises and swellings as a result of that attack.

According to investigators, court chief of staff Roderick Shelby and inmate Chaderious Avery exchanged words while walking in the detention center cafeteria. Then, footage shows Shelby catching the teenager by the throat, bashing his head against the wall and then punching him.

15-year-old Avery, now out of jail, talked about that brawl in FOX16’s Dustin Barnes’ interview with him in august.

"Some may say you shouldn't talk that way to adults,” Dustin asked. “What do you say?”

“I Agree with him,” Avery said. “I'm a kid, he's an adult.”

Witnesses told jurors Shelby provoked Avery by getting in his face; however, Shelby's attorney says from the direction Avery and Shelby were walking in the cafeteria, Avery had to turn toward Shelby in order for there to be a fight. He adds that his client only reacted the way because he felt threatened by the teenager's rage and words.