Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Department of Detention and Corrections
Professional Standards Bureau
- Administrative Investigation Division

Deputy Aaron Hull
Age: 46
Date of Hire: 02/01/2006
Termination Effective: 01/17/2019

Taylor Schuessler (Inmate)
DOB: 04/18/1994
Address: 2770 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater
Inmate released from PCJ on 11/16/2018.

What:
A detention deputy was terminated for excessive use of force on an inmate at the Pinellas County Jail.

When:
The incident took place on September 24, 2018.

The deputy was terminated on January 17, 2019.

Where:
The incident occurred at the Pinellas County Jail located at 14400 49^th Street North, in Clearwater.

Why/How:
A detention deputy was terminated for excessive use of force on an inmate at the Pinellas County Jail.

According to the Administrative Investigation Division, on September 24, 2018, Deputy Aaron Hull was working as a detention deputy supervising an inmate housing unit at the Pinellas County Jail.

Deputy Hull was verbally counseling a group of inmates who were creating a disturbance while the housing unit was in lockdown.

Investigators say 24-year-old Taylor Schuessler an inmate confined to a wheelchair, verbally challenged Deputy Hull and the other inmates. Deputy Hull gave Schuessler verbal commands directing him to stop his behavior but the inmate refused.

Deputy Hull stood up and aggressively kicked his own chair before approaching Schuessler who was seated in a wheelchair. Deputy Hull placed his left hand on the back of the Schuessler’s neck and engaged in a verbal exchange with the inmate.

Surveillance video at the jail showed Deputy Hull poke Schuessler multiple times in the head with his right index finger while he maintained a grasp on the inmate’s neck during the verbal exchange. The actions provoked and escalated the inmate’s behavior.

While standing next to Schuessler, Deputy Hull repositioned his left hand near Schuessler’s right shoulder where he took hold of the inmate’s shirt. Deputy Hull engaged in a verbal exchange with Schuessler with his face in close proximity to the Schuessler’s face.

Schuessler responded by spitting toward Deputy Hull’s face.

Deputy Hull reacted by striking Schuessler three times on the left side of his face with an open right hand. Schuessler remained noncompliant and resisted.

Deputy Hull attempted to call for assistance and began to remove Schuessler for relocation in his wheelchair. During the relocation, Schuessler tried striking Deputy Hull with his elbows, closed fist, and his head.

Deputy Hull told investigators Schuessler struck him multiple times during the transport but the strikes had no effect on him.

Deputy Hull maintained physical contact with the inmate in his wheelchair and grasped him around his torso until the inmate deescalated his resistance.

Neither Deputy Hull nor Schuessler were injured.

During the course of the Administrative Investigation, Deputy Hull admitted that he reacted inappropriately. Deputy Hull admitted that poking the inmate in the head was inappropriate contact and he should have stopped.

Investigators say Deputy Hull was disciplined in 2015 for similar behavior after he entered an inmate housing unit to resolve an issue with an inmate. Deputy Hull flipped over a table as he made his way towards an inmate causing damage to the table. Deputy Hull said his actions were an effort to gain the attention of the inmate.

As a result of the investigation, the Administrative Review Board determined that Deputy Hull violated Sheriff’s Office policy and he was terminated effective Thursday, January 17, 2019.