Harnett inmate dies after altercation with officers

An inmate at the Harnett County Detention Center died Tuesday after being involved in an altercation with detention officers, Sheriff Larry Rollins said Wednesday.

The altercation between Brandon Jolvon Bethea and officers occurred at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, and one of the officers used a Taser on Bethea, Rollins said. A short time later, an officer noticed that Bethea wasn't breathing, and officers administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

Bethea was taken to Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, where he was pronounced dead.

Detention Officer J. Clark was placed on administrative leave, pending the results of an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, Rollins said.

Bethea, 24, of Fayetteville, had been in the county jail since Jan. 23 under a $150,000 bond. He was awaiting trial on two counts of attempted first-degree sex offense, attempted armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon and selling or distributing a counterfeit controlled substance.