Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Randy Sampson Handy, 42, an inmate in the Alachua County Jail, was charged with battery by a jail detainee after allegedly punching another inmate who complained that other inmates were skipping ahead of him in the phone line.

At about 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, a group of inmates were reportedly in the day room of G pod at the jail when the victim said multiple people skipped ahead of him in the phone line. The victim told the responding Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that this happens a lot, and he believes it’s a “racial issue.” The victim said he told Handy this was unfair to him and Handy responded, “Say something else, cracker,” got up from his seat, and started punching the victim in the head.

The deputy noted that the incident was captured on video.

Post Miranda, Handy reportedly said that the victim has caused “multiple issues within the pod” and that he was “close to starting another altercation with another inmate” that day. Handy reportedly admitted hitting the victim and said he did that because the victim spit on him.

The deputy reported that the video does not show the victim spitting on Handy.

Handy was on federal probation when he was arrested on April 4 for domestic battery. At that time, he had two felony convictions (none violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (one violent). He posted bail of $15,000 but was arrested again on April 19 for violating his release condition of not contacting the victim of the April 4 offense; he was also charged with another count of domestic battery for an April 19 incident against the same victim. On April 24, he was charged with 45 counts of violating his release conditions for allegedly trying to send mail to the victim, making 19 phone calls to her after the first arrest, and making 25 calls to her after the second arrest.

The first domestic battery charge was dropped, but he entered a plea of nolo contendere to 11 counts of violating his release conditions and was sentenced to 120 days of jail on June 14.

Judge Mark Moseley set bail at $10,000 on the new charge.