TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey’s top prisons official is set to appear next month at a legislative hearing investigating reports of violence against inmates at the state’s only women’s prison, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin announced Friday.
Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks has agreed to appear at the April 8 Joint Judiciary and Women and Children Committee hearing. Hicks has been under scrutiny and criticism since news of an attack on female inmates by male guards at the Edna Mahan Correction Facility in Hunterdon County.
“I am extremely disturbed about the continued allegations of abuse at Edna Mahan. A pattern appears to have developed at the facility, which raises the question of whether those supervising the prison are not doing nearly enough to protect its vulnerable inmates,” Coughlin, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Coughlin announced that Hicks would appear at the same time he set the date for the hearing, which will be conducted remotely.
Four guards have been charged, the attorney general is still conducting a criminal investigation into what happened in January, and the Democratic-led Senate has passed a resolution calling for Hicks’ ouster. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who has the authority to remove Hicks, has hired an outside counsel to investigate what happened.
The prison has an “ugly history,” according to state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, backed up by a Justice Department report from last year that documented sexual abuse of inmates. Federal prosecutors found former and current prisoners said sexual abuse was an “open secret” and uncovered a “culture of acceptance” of sexual abuse of inmates.
The four guards do not face sexual assault charges, however.
The charges stem from what prosecutors say was a Jan. 11 attack on at least six inmates, when about two dozen guards began removing inmates from their cells. A motive wasn’t given, but the attorney general has said more information would come out.
One woman has said she thought the attack was retaliation for complaints inmates made.
One victim was pepper sprayed before the team of guards entered her cell. She was then punched her about 28 times in and near her face, even though she had her arms up and was trying to protect herself, according to prosecutors.
One victim was left with broken bones near her eye.
Another victim was repeatedly punched despite being handcuffed and not resisting, Grewal has said.
The guards then filed false reports about the incident, according to the attorney general.
Attorneys for two of the guards have said their clients plan to plead not guilty. The attorney general’s office did not have attorney information for third guard facing charges, while the attorney of the fourth guard charged did not return a previous message.
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