Fourteen correction officers at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women have been indicted on charges they forcibly remove several inmates from cells last year, attacked them — punching one nearly 30 times — and then tried to cover it up.
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022.Fourteen correction officers at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey have been indicted on charges they forcibly removed several inmates from cells last year, attacked them — punching one nearly 30 times — and then tried to cover it up.
State officials said the attack happened in January 2021, when officers used excessive force to remove prisoners from their cells in a process called extraction that is only supposed to be used if inmates refuse orders to leave their cells on their own or pose a danger to themselves or others. State officials said the tensions at the prison were high following incidents of inmates squirting officers with unknown liquids.
The following other officers were also indicted, but heir defense attorneys have not yet responded to requests for comment on Wednesday morning:Amir E. Bethea, 37, of SpringfieldLuis A. Garcia, 25, of NutleyDesiree Lewis, 33, of ElizabethDetails of the attack were first published by NJ.com and ultimately led to theGov.