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Alleged Battery Of Escambia County Jail Inmate Leads To Arrest Of Two Corrections Officers
April 14, 2026
Two Escambia County corrections officers have been arrested following an investigation into the battery of an inmate that occurred at the Escambia County Jail.
Sharif Dawud Hale, age 42 of Cantonment was arrested on charges of felony battery with great bodily harm and tampering with physical evidence. Larry Ken Martin, age 32 of Flomaton, was charged with providing false information to law enforcement regarding a felony.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation after an inmate was found on March 15, 2026, with a severe hand laceration requiring surgery and a rod insertion, a cracked rear molar, and head injuries. According to the reports, investigators determined the injuries occurred during an overnight shift between 03:53 a.m. and 03:55 a.m. after two officers entered the inmate’s cell for an unsanctioned encounter.
According to internal records and witness statements detailed in the reports, the officers failed to notify supervisors before entering the cell, which is required protocol during “lights out” hours. One witness told investigators she heard an officer state he “had to teach [the inmate] a lesson” because the inmate was “talking smack”.
Investigators said the inmate alleged that Hale “stomped” on him while he was on his bunk and intentionally twisted his finger. According to the reports, investigators observed security footage showing the Hale and Martin re-entering the cell approximately 10 minutes later. Investigators stated it appeared this second entry was an attempt to remove physical evidence, specifically beads that had broken off a bracelet during the struggle and a fragment of the inmate’s tooth.
While investigators noted that Martin appeared to attempt to calm Hale down after the initial encounter, the reports state he maintained a false account of the events during multiple interviews. According to the reports, Martin claimed the inmate was already bleeding and suggested the injuries were self-inflicted by “hitting the walls” or using a metal table, a theory investigators said was inconsistent with medical evidence and intake records.
Both men were booked into the Escambia County Jail and each released within minutes on bond — $50,000 for Hale, and Martin on a $5,000 bond.
According to the arrest reports, medical staff at the Escambia County Jail concluded that the victim needed further care and he was ultimately transported to Baptist Hospital. Hospital records indicated that he was admitted and required surgery for his injuries, which included the surgical implantation of a rod and pins in his hand, the reports state.
According to jail records, the inmate victim, a 35-year-old Pensacola man, remains in jail without bond on an unreleased charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a probation violation.
Mugshot for Hale and Martin were not released.Under Florida’s public records laws, the identities and photographs of correctional officers are often protected from disclosure.
Pictured: A cell in the Escambia County Jail. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
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