{"id":29171,"date":"2017-02-03T10:01:50","date_gmt":"2017-02-03T18:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=29171"},"modified":"2017-02-03T10:07:20","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T18:07:20","slug":"mississippi-prison-guard-guilty-brutally-beating-inmate-lying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=29171","title":{"rendered":"Mississippi Prison Guard Guilty of Brutally Beating Inmate and Lying About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

MISSISSIPPI\"mississippi-department-of-corrections-squarelogo-1446799570962\"<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0Mississippi corrections officer, Lawardrick \u00a0Marsher<\/span>, plead guilty Thursday in federal court to beating an inmate in Mississippi\u2019s Parchman prison. A second officer, Robert Sturdivant, plead guilty to helping conceal the beating of the inmate, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marsher faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in June, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"U.S.\u201cThe defendant abused his authority, violated the law and the public trust,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi. \u201cThe U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office of Mississippi is committed to aggressively prosecuting those correctional officers who break the law and violate an individual\u2019s constitutional rights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to his guilty plea, <\/span>Marsher, 29, used excessive force in punching and kicking the victim, only identified by authorities as K.H., who suffered a broken orbital bone, permanent vision <\/span>loss and severe blood loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

The assault occurred on March 9, 2014. <\/span>Marsher also admitted to submitting a false report and lying to the FBI. Sturdivant, 47, <\/span>Marsher\u2019s supervisor, admitted that he also punched and kicked K.H. and urged fellow officers to submit false statements to their department and to lie to the FBI.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery American, including those who are incarcerated, is protected by the U.S. Constitution,\u201d said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division. \u201cWhen officers who we expect to uphold those rights willfully violate <\/span>them, and lie to cover it up, the Justice Department will vigorously enforce the laws prohibiting this misconduct.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On June 21, 2016, <\/span>Marsher and Sturdivant were indicted by a grand jury.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two other officers, Deonte Pate, 23, and <\/span>Romander Nelson, 44, plead guilty to charges in connection with the beating. Pate admitted to conspiring to cover up the beating, and Nelson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to protect K.H.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOccasionally, incarceration can lead to an emotionally charged atmosphere, but we lose credibility and moral authority when prison guards are guilty of violating the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze of the FBI Jackson Division. \u201cWhile incarcerated individuals have relinquished their right to freedom, they have not renounced their civil rights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sturdivant faces up to five years in prison. Sentencing \u00a0Sturdivant is tentatively scheduled for June. Pate\u2019s sentencing is scheduled for March 16; Nelson\u2019s sentencing is scheduled for April 6.<\/span><\/p>\n