Family of beaten inmate calls for harsher punishment for DeSoto County officers

ARCADIA, Fla. — The family of Darion Hawkins, one of two inmates beaten by a former DeSoto County Sheriff's corrections supervisor, is speaking out and demanding stronger consequences for all officers involved in the incident.

Body camera footage released by the sheriff's office showed Sgt. Luis Tovar beating Hawkins and another inmate at the county jail. The video prompted action from Sheriff James Potter, who removed Tovar from his position, and two battery charges were filed against him.

But the family of Hawkins says that is not enough.

"Justice looks like more than just that one officer getting fired, all of them being arrested, and not charged with a misdemeanor," said Sheila Mitchell, Hawkins's aunt.

Mitchell and Hawkins's sister, Kenajea Davis-Hawkins, shared how they felt after seeing the video.

"I was sad. I was angry. I was a bit of everything," Mitchell said.

Davis-Hawkins said she was "hurt - very hurt" after seeing what happened to her brother.

The family wants to see charges filed against all officers present during the incident who did not intervene.

"You have loved ones, and yes, they get in trouble with the law, and that trouble is punishable, but how far punishable is that trouble?" Mitchell said.

The DeSoto County Sheriff's Office said Hawkins was transferred on Monday to Graceville Correctional Facility in Jackson County.

The family said they noticed the toll this incident had on him when they spoke to him on Wednesday.

"He was very upset, and his face is all beat up and swollen. You can tell that he was given some medication as well, because he just wasn't himself at all," Mitchell said.

The family shared who Hawkins is to them.

"He's that person that wants to see you smiling. He's doing something silly that wants to put a smile on your face outside of those jailhouse walls," Mitchell said.

You can find Fox 4's prior coverage on the incident here.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.