Guilty Pleas in Civil Rights Violation Case
Two former West Virginia correctional officers pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday for their roles in failing to protect an inmate who was fatally beaten by colleagues in 2022. Jacob Boothe and Ashley Toney admitted to violating the civil rights of 37-year-old Quantez Burks by not intervening during the brutal assault at Southern Regional Jail in Beaver.
Details of the Incident
Burks, a pretrial detainee, was booked into the jail on a wanton endangerment charge in March 2022. Less than 24 hours later, he was dead. According to court documents, Burks attempted to push past an officer to leave his housing unit, leading to his being escorted to an interview room. It was in this room, devoid of surveillance cameras, that correctional officers allegedly struck Burks while he was restrained and handcuffed.
The violent assault did not end there. Burks was then forcibly moved to another housing unit, where he was assaulted again. Although the state medical examiner’s office initially attributed Burks’ death to natural causes, a private autopsy requested by his family revealed multiple areas of blunt force trauma on his body.
Federal Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Boothe and Toney were among six former Southern Regional Jail employees indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. The charges against them have intensified scrutiny of the Southern Regional Jail, which has faced criticism for inhumane conditions and numerous deaths in custody. In November 2023, West Virginia agreed to a $4 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who alleged severe mistreatment at the facility, including a lack of access to water, food, and proper medical care.
Admission of Guilt and Consequences
As part of their plea agreements, both Toney and Boothe admitted to escorting Burks to the interview room and witnessing other officers beat him while he was handcuffed and posed no threat. Toney further acknowledged that she knew the interview room was a “blind spot” with no surveillance cameras, and she conspired with other officers to provide false information during the investigation into Burks’ death.
Toney and Boothe each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for November 4, 2024. The trial for the remaining four defendants involved in the case is set for October 8, 2024.
