Disturbing video footage has emerged showing a Miami-Dade corrections officer repeatedly striking a handcuffed inmate inside a jail elevator. Officer Myth Louis-Jeune, who was charged in January with misdemeanor battery, allegedly assaulted inmate Spencer Butler on March 1, 2023, at the Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center. The release of this video has intensified scrutiny over the nearly three-year delay in bringing charges against the officer.
Video Evidence and Delayed Charges
The video captures Louis-Jeune repeatedly striking Butler while the inmate is handcuffed within an elevator. Butler can be heard exclaiming, “I got my a** beat,” in a separate clip recorded the day after the incident. Further footage shows Butler being placed in a room where an officer points a weapon through the glass, and officers discuss “decontamination” after Butler claims he was pepper-sprayed without apparent cause.
The delay in charging Louis-Jeune, which occurred on January 30, 2026, has raised questions about the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office’s handling of the case. Prosecutors cited a request from Louis-Jeune’s former defense attorney for time to investigate and present mitigating evidence as the reason for the delay.
Officer’s Defense and Previous Use-of-Force Incident
Larry Handfield, an attorney representing Louis-Jeune, stated that his client acted in self-defense, describing Butler as an “uncooperative and violent inmate” who attacked the officer. Louis-Jeune has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. However, a labor management report indicates that the officer had a prior suspension in November 2021 following another use-of-force incident, adding another layer to the scrutiny of his actions.
The video also shows Butler struggling with spelling words like “aggressive” and “excessive” as he is asked to write a statement about the incident, highlighting potential challenges faced by inmates in documenting such events. The circumstances surrounding the pepper-spray deployment and the subsequent “decontamination” process also remain unclear.
- Video footage shows Miami-Dade corrections officer Myth Louis-Jeune allegedly beating handcuffed inmate Spencer Butler.
- The incident occurred in March 2023, but charges were not filed until January 2026.
- Louis-Jeune faces misdemeanor battery charges and has pleaded not guilty.
- His attorney claims self-defense, citing Butler as violent and uncooperative.
- A prior use-of-force incident led to Louis-Jeune’s suspension in 2021.
What are your thoughts on the video evidence and the delay in charging the officer? Share your opinions in the comments below.