LEBANON, Ohio. — A corrections officer and a nurse at Lebanon Correctional Institution pleaded not guilty Thursday to misdemeanor charges connected to the death of inmate LaSelle Allen, with Allen's family present in the courtroom.
Jeromy Roberts, a corrections officer, and Tiffany Ramsey, a nurse at the correctional institution, both entered not guilty pleas.
Roberts is charged with first-degree assault for pepper spraying Allen six times in the face while Allen was on the ground in hand restraints. The incident happened after Allen allegedly got into a fight with a cellmate.
Roberts and Ramsey are also both charged with dereliction of duty for allegedly taking more than 10 minutes to check Allen's vitals.
Watch: Family speaks outside Lebanon Municipal Courthouse
Allen's family said the charges do not go far enough.
"Yeah we want these charges to be upgraded to murder. That's our main thing. LaSelle Linden Allen's life mattered and justice is what we're asking for. They're at home with their families while my baby is dead," said Allen's mother Rose Sailes.
"He wasn't sentenced to death and that's why I said he wasn't supposed to be punished two times that was never supposed to happen," added Allen's sister.
Allen's family said they will continue to speak out on behalf of Allen, who was a father of 10.
"So what we're asking is we pay attention to the facts in this case and not why LaSelle was there," said Chazidy Robinson, an advocate who spoke on the family's behalf.
Roberts and Ramsey were placed on paid administrative leave following Allen's death.
Ohio State Highway Patrol, which handled the investigation, did not comment, as the investigation is still open and ongoing.
A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 29.
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