Well....a rare thing, as I understand it. Guards in a prison actually being held accountable for actions that, most likely, occur every day, in prisons around the country.
Two former correctional officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Mark Holdren, 41, of Beckley, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Johnathan Walters, 33, of Rainelle, was sentenced to 21 years in prison, with each prison sentence to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Holdren and Walters each pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights, resulting in Q.B.’s death. According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Holdren responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Holdren arrived, officers were engaged in restraining Q.B. Holdren began using force against Q.B., including multiple knee-strikes that he knew were unreasonable.
Holdren and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully assaulting him as punishment for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of the conspiracy, Holdren and other officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Walters joined them. In the interview room, Holdren and other officers used unreasonable force against Q.B., including striking Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicking, knee-striking him, pulling and twisting his fingers, and using pepper spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone.
After assaulting Q.B. in the interview room, officers transported him to another pod. During the transport, Q.B. became limp and was unable to walk on his own. Walters and other officers then carried Q.B. by his arms and legs to the pod’s entryway door, where Walters admitted he used unreasonable force to swing Q.B.’s head into the metal door to open the door. Walters and other officers then carried Q.B. into a cell, where they dropped the unresponsive and handcuffed Q.B. onto the concrete floor. Shortly thereafter, responding emergency medical personnel declared that Q.B. was deceased.
Two former correctional officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Mark Holdren, 41, of Beckley, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Johnathan Walters, 33, of Rainelle, was sentenced to 21 years in prison, with each prison sentence to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Holdren and Walters each pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights, resulting in Q.B.’s death. According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Holdren responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Holdren arrived, officers were engaged in restraining Q.B. Holdren began using force against Q.B., including multiple knee-strikes that he knew were unreasonable.
Holdren and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully assaulting him as punishment for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of the conspiracy, Holdren and other officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Walters joined them. In the interview room, Holdren and other officers used unreasonable force against Q.B., including striking Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicking, knee-striking him, pulling and twisting his fingers, and using pepper spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone.
After assaulting Q.B. in the interview room, officers transported him to another pod. During the transport, Q.B. became limp and was unable to walk on his own. Walters and other officers then carried Q.B. by his arms and legs to the pod’s entryway door, where Walters admitted he used unreasonable force to swing Q.B.’s head into the metal door to open the door. Walters and other officers then carried Q.B. into a cell, where they dropped the unresponsive and handcuffed Q.B. onto the concrete floor. Shortly thereafter, responding emergency medical personnel declared that Q.B. was deceased.
