By Mike Weland
A former Boundary County Sheriff’s detention sergeant was charged September 8 with felony aggravated battery for allegedly beating a man being jailed bloody and unconscious in a holding cell more than two years ago. If convicted, Bryant Edward Brown, 37, faces up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $50,000.
According to court records, sheriff’s detective Brandon Blackmore was notified by a former Boundary County Sheriff’s chief deputy of a report he’d been investigating on the incident on September 2, 2025, whereupon Blackmore took up the investigation that concluded with the criminal charge.
Gary Wall was arrested by former Bonners Ferry Assistant Police Chief Marty Ryan on January 3, 2023, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Kootenai County and taken to the Boundary County Jail for processing.
At about 10:39 a.m., according to Blackmore’s affidavit of probable cause, hallway video from the jail shows Brown and another deputy escorting Wall, no handcuffs or other restraints, intoxicated and being verbally abusive, into a holding cell.
Wall is alleged to have made an offensive remark, to include calling Brown a “big fat turd,” at which point “Brown lunges into the holding cell behind Wall and an apparent scuffle ensues inside the cell and out of sight of the hall camera. There are audible noises of muffled yelling
coming from the inside of the cell.”
The camera inside the holding cell appears to show inmate Wall, fully inside the cell, turn to face Brown, who has yet to come fully into camera range. An arm reaches into the cell, hand on Wall’s chest. With his left hand, Wall is seen to swat the right arm.
Brown allegedly comes into full view, shoving “Wall violently back against the glass window of the holding cell. Wall strikes the back of his head against the glass window and his body slumps into a plastic chair apparently stunned and is not resisting. Brown leaps into the cell after Wall his fists clenched and strikes Wall with his right fist. The blow from Brown connects with the left side of Walls face and cheek, causing Wall’s head to smash off the brick wall. Wall’s head recoils from the wall and Brown appears to strike Wall with his left clenched fist. The blow appearing to connect with right side of Wall’s throat. Wall weakly reaches to grasp Brown’s arms, apparently in an attempt to stop the blows, but is otherwise not resisting, nor striking at Brown. Brown, using both his right and left hands, grabs Wall by his throat and slams Wall’s head into the brick wall.”
A second deputy is then seen entering the cell. He “very momentarily grasps Walls’s right arm and back.”
Wall reached toward the deputy with his right arm, palm up, and not striking. It does not appear the deputy Rantlett used any force on Wall other than to place his hand on Wall’s back momentarily. Wall’s arm and body is then pulled violently from the deputy’s grasp by Brown.
“Brown, still holding onto Wall by the throat and chest at this point, flings Wall’s body against the other side of the cell, where Wall’s body strikes the wall and floor,” the affidavit continues. “Wall’s body is being thrown around like a rag doll by Brown at this point and Wall is not resisting. You can hear muffled yelling from the video, and Wall yelling “‘I’m not resisting’ as his body impacts the floor under Brown.
Brown strikes Wall’s face again with a clenched right fist as Wall’s body is being forced to the floor by Brown. Brown then appears to strike Wall, using both of his knees and body weight, landing on top of Wall, who is laying on the floor. Brown then delivers 4 or 5 knee strikes to Wall’s head. Wall is sobbing and laying on the floor limply at this point with Brown on top of him and is not resisting at all.”
As another deputy enters the holding cell, Brown, after allegedly denigrating his charge with obscenities, yells at Wall, “are you done? Stop moving!”
Wall is not moving at all and is still laying on the floor. Brown yells again at Wall, “Sit down, stop moving.” Wall is not moving at all and is still laying on the floor.
Brown turns to a superior and says, “he’s bleeding all over.”
“You can plainly see Wall’s left arm which is covered in blood,” the affidavit reads. “Brown says he needs medical to respond. Brown is breathing heavily and is clearly very agitated. Wall weakly moves his arm towards his face and Brown yells at him to stop moving. Chief Deputy Richard Stephens attempts to communicate with Brown and let him take over. Brown refuses and says, ‘No got it.’ Chief Deputy Stephens attempts to enter the cell and take a look at Wall. Chief Deputy Stephens informs Brown that medical is on its way. Chief Deputy Stephens tries again to persuade Brown to remove himself from the situation but Brown adamantly refuses to do so.”
Wall refused medical treatment and was transported to Kootenai County, where his charges were adjudicated.
Brown, employed by Boundary County from April 26, 2015, until April 13, 2023, remains free on $50,000 surety bond, paid the after he missed his initial appearance September 29, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Monday, November 3, before Judge Justin Julian.