An inmate in the Greene County Jail is facing a battery charge after he allegedly admitted hitting another inmate many times in a dispute over what to watch on tv. According to a deputy, the inmate said it was “plain as day on video” that he was guilty of battery.   

Brandon Criss, 34, formerly from Linton, now an inmate in the Greene County Jail, is accused of battery on another inmate. A criminal case was filed against him yesterday, Tuesday, October 6, following an investigation by Deputy Devan Goad of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.

The investigation began on Friday, September 18, when Deputy Goad responded after jail staff reported a fight had occurred between Criss and another male inmate. Deputy Goad interviewed both Criss and the other inmate that night.

The incident was recorded on video surveillance and Deputy Goad reported it showed the two inmates talking near a television then at 3:46 p.m., Criss jumped off a table and got into a verbal altercation with the other inmate. Criss then attempted to hit the other inmate but he missed.

The other inmate then sat back down and while he was watching television, Criss allegedly started hitting him. Then they were both standing as Criss continued to hit the other inmate with body hits then hits to the head area. The video showed the other inmate had his hands up to block the hits as Criss followed him around the pod throwing punches until jail officers intervened.

When the other inmate was interviewed, he allegedly said he asked for the remote to see what was going to be on that day and he asked Criss if he was going to watch the same movie all day. He said that’s when Criss started hitting him and he just put his hands up and tried to back off. He said he wasn’t injured and didn’t want to press charges.

When Criss was interviewed, he said the other inmate asked to see the remote and was running his mouth about not wanting to watch a movie. Criss allegedly admitted he hit the other inmate multiple times and told the deputy it was “plain as day on video” that he was guilty of battery.

A date for an initial hearing has not been set yet.

Criss is facing a preliminary charge of battery, a Class B misdemeanor.