A guard at Blue Earth County Jail has been suspended after he allegedly hit an inmate with a Bible. The 56-year-old officer's act was captured on video taken by a surveillance camera in the cell.

The video clip showed James Lee Sheppard entering the cell of inmate Jeremy Hansen, 26, taking his Bible and striking it in his face, the Associated Press reports.

According to Blue Earth County administrator, Dennis McCoy, the confrontation was reported by Sheppard himself.

"He knew he violated policy and, to his credit, he turned himself in," McCoy told the AP.

Sheppard has been put on leave pending further investigation of the matter. He is due to be arraigned on charges of mistreatment of an inmate and misconduct by a public officer later this month.