Charges dropped against one jailer

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Charges were dropped Thursday against one of two jailers who were accused of urinating on four black inmates at the Greene County jail.

Curtis A. Myers, 26, had been charged with four counts of third-degree assault after the July 29 incident at the jail. However, charges remain against Justin K. Hastings, 21.

Prosecutors said Thursday they dropped the charges because urine samples taken from the roof of the jail didn't match Myers' DNA profile.

Prosecutors alleged that the two went up on a roof and urinated on the inmates, who were playing basketball in one of the jail's exercise rooms. A metal grate serves as the roof for the exercise area.

Prosecutor Darrell Moore has said no evidence was ever found to suggest that the incident was racially motivated.

Hastings and Myers resigned their jobs after the charges were filed. Hastings had worked at the jail for a year. Myers was in his first night on the job.

In December, Greene County agreed to pay a total of $100,000 to the four inmates -- Zewayne Durley, 28, Darryl Carter, 26, Michael Wade, 18, and Daren Rucker, also 18.