TAMPA (Bay News 9) -- A woman who said she was beaten by a deputy at the Orient Road Jail has filed a federal lawsuit.

After seeing what happened to Brian Sterner, the wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, dumped from his chair at the same jail facility, Marcella Pourmoghani is speaking out.

In an exclusive with Bay News 9, Pourmoghani said she was not surprised when she saw the video involving Sterner.

The deputy involved in the Sterner case, Charlette Marshall-Jones, submitted her resignation Monday.

"Unprovoked, just as what happened to myself," she said after watching the wheelchair incident. "I could not breathe from the blood pouring from my mouth and my face,' Pourmoghani said. "And she had her knee on the base of my skull."

Pourmoghani said she was beaten so severely that she had to be taken from the jail to a hospital. At that time, Pourmoghani also was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. But the state attorney's office dropped the charge after seeing the video.

On Friday, Pourmoghani's attorney filed a lawsuit in federal court. She's suing Hillsborough County, the sheriff's office and all the deputies seen on the video.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office responded Monday night, defending the deputy in question, Shann Marsh.
Marcella Pourmoghani mug shot
Marcella Pourmoghani's November 2006 arrest photo.

"She was trying to take her into an escort position, when the woman resisted the force necessary escalated,' said Major Robert Lucas with the sheriff's office. "The inmate did wrap herself around her leg. The deputy indicated she was fearful she was going to get bit.

"After a thorough review of the case by supervisory staff, Deputy Marsh's actions were exonerated. Approximately nine months later the report and video of the incident were reviewed in response to allegations made by Ms. Pourmoghani through the media.

"The incident was reviewed for the third time today. In each instance the findings have been the same. "

The statement also noted that was Pourmoghani's eighth arrest and booking into the jail since 1992. Previous charges ranged from battery, domestic violence, resisting arrest with and without violence, battery on a law enforcement officer and miscellaneous other offenses.



Pourmoghani's attorney countered by saying if jail supervisors stopped defending actions like this a year ago, then they would not again be under scrutiny for the wheelchair incident.

"Instead of circling the wagons with this preposterous defense,' attorney Virlyn Moore said. "They would have done something to correct the situation that they have their in that jail then this situation with this other gentlemen would never have happened."

Pourmoghani said she wants to make sure nothing like this happens to anyone else.

"It will make me very happy that they will never be able to do it somebody else.

The entire, unedited surveillance tape from the Orient Road Jail is available for viewing on Bay News 9 On Demand, channel 342 on Bright House Networks digital cable.