After an investigation by the Georgia Department of Corrections that was prompted by an incident last month, six correctional staff members at Georgia State Prison in Reidsville have been arrested, charged with aggravated battery and violation of oath of office, and have been terminated.
The GDC announced today the arrests of the correctional staff members for their role in a use-of-force incident, following an inmate assault on a fellow Correctional Officer. The incident occurred at Georgia State Prison on February 16 and prompted the investigation by the GDC’s Office of Professional Standards, ultimately leading to the arrests.
According to the GDC, at approximately 12:30 p.m. on February 16, an offender assaulted an officer, resulting in use-of-force by fellow staff members and causing injuries to the inmate. After review and investigation of the incident, it was determined state law and policy were violated and the case was presented to the District Attorney.
“Staff accountability is paramount to the safe and secure operations of our facilities, and as an agency, we will not tolerate this type of conduct,” said Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “It is also important to note that these individuals don’t represent the thousands of Officers who faithfully uphold their oath of protecting the public each and every day.”
The following correctional staff were arrested and charged with aggravated battery and violation of oath of office, and have been terminated:
- Javaka Johnson, Unit Manager
- Anisha Majette, Sergeant
- Marquette Sistrunk, Sergeant
- Danny Standard, Correctional Officer
- Korbin Tippett, Correctional Officer
- Kiara Cain, Correctional Officer
The inmate involved in the assault on the Officer is Norman Simpson GDC#1201790. He will be charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime and felony obstruction. Simpson is currently serving Life for Murder and was sentenced in Chatham County.
Starlite Cameron
March 2, 2021 at 7:15 pm
My brother was found face down in a cell there in September of 2020. I still have no toxicology report or autopsy report. I have called the prison and have been told by the answering directory that when they buzz the wardens office they tell them to tell me I can have a lawyer contact them if I need anything. I never received one piece of property…not shoes, pictures a letter but NO ANSWERS AND NO HELP. I took pictures of his body and he had a busted lip, broken nose and bulges out of both temples. The coroner’s report stated he had no injuries…LIES. And also stated last time seen alive was UNKNOWN. He was in mental health lockdown…not population. So, maybe that’s why they won’t answer or help me get closure….WOW!!!THIS ARTICLE REALLY EXPLAINS ALOT!!!! MY BROTHER WAS INMATE 114240 IN GEORGIA STATE PRISON.
Patricia Bishop
March 2, 2021 at 7:34 pm
Now it’s time to check Johnson State prison. The gangs are running it they are charging extortion drugs are rampant and with the prison closed down for visitation how are big buds of pot showing up in population population? My son has been beaten almost every day the guards are not doing the rounds and are punishing our loved ones! No one is interested in looking into this development not the media not the ACLU not Governor Kemp so who can I ask for justice ?????
Joyce Ward
March 2, 2021 at 11:48 pm
What is a few more charges and added on years to a LIFER?? He’s not going anywhere anyway…
Ga opinion
March 3, 2021 at 7:59 am
So I’m definitely not understanding why these people had to loose their jobs when a fellow officers life was in Danger that’s their job to protect a serve no matter if it was a fellow officer in my opinion they did exactly what I would have done in this situation you have a inmate that’s already incarcerated for murder he attacks and he supposed to just get a pat on the wrist he supposed to get a easy way no I don’t think so they did what they were supposed to unlike the capital officers when those people took over the capital capital officers should have cut down all of those they breached and trespass where they shouldn’t have so I feel these officers do you know wrong you got an inmate who don’t care about life at all I don’t know why he sitting on death row he should be in the gas chamber long ago yo waste time studyingStudying these fools he took a life the in his life need to be taken he don’t need to sit in there living his best convict life for his actions he need to go to electric chair right now
Don
March 3, 2021 at 8:11 am
Man Simpson already have a life sentence you think he cares like what do you ppl think he has to lose lol it was good what happed to the staff the Georgia prison system run there officers like gangs anyway if any organization has and oath they are considered a gang same color same protocols Georgia prison is a death trap when ppl die they blame it on other inmates or try to cover it up they will lie on you use unlawful punishment the food they don’t care who cooks it I should be The Voice of Ga Prison Systems it’s crazy how the system mistreat ppl
Larry
March 3, 2021 at 9:19 am
I was a Correctional Officer at GDCP long ago and these inmates don’t care about laws or doing the right thing. In the vast majority of cases they are unrepentant criminal thugs who will try to hurt or kill officers or try to play games to get their jobs. I once knew an inmate with aids who jumped and officer and tried to bite him through his shirt and when the officer tried to hit said inmate to get him off a unit manager yelled stop hitting him while watching and doing nothing to help. I agree no human being should be physically assaulted without cause however these violent criminals attacking the people in charge of keeping order and protecting the public from them deserve what they get and officers deserve the right to defend themselves and keep order. All he will get w more charges is a temporary loss of privileges and some time in solitary. What does he care? Prison is like mini city and that is his life now. Inmate loving weak politically correct liberal administration’s and supervisors are the problem there. If you never worked in a prison then you couldn’t possibly understand.
Denice collins
March 3, 2021 at 9:49 am
Do have intmate getting treat like dis in every prison facility
Clemmie Moore
March 3, 2021 at 4:19 pm
These are the deaths that occurred at GSP in 2020: Martinez Velasquez 51 1001754310 Natural
Davis Tremaine 36 1178991 Natural
Fullerton William 78 188587 Natural
Upshaw Rickey 25 1001196937 Suicide
Southall Dillian 27 1001857577 Suicide
Chambley Timothy 60 66051 Natural
Hartzog James 29 1000364763 Suicide
Brewster Jarriett 66 45261 Natural
Garcia Raul 45 1124782 Homicide
Mullins Freddie 71 1002232732 Natural
White Stephen 38 1149298 Suicide
Walker Onani 43 936927 Natural
Starkey Dustin 41 1182764 Undetermined
Johnson Terry 33 1196235 Suicide
Jackson Ruben 28 1000625931 Suicide
McCloon Jonathan 35 1144240 Undetermined
Thomas Terry 42 1000491544 Natural
Gardner Ramon 22 1001937325 Suicide
Hugley Steve 54 528204 Natural
Mapp Al Rico 43 841886 Undetermined
Smith Jerry 73 508548 Natural
Hamilton Terrell 40 995174 Suicide
Adams Linward 64 1002574919 Natural
Thompson Victor 58 1002192510 Natural
Newsome Joctavious 25 1001020510 Homicide
Peters Brandon 44 858696 Undetermined
Williams Steve 63 22208 Natural
Bullard Tommy 64 11338 Natural
Stubbins Demetrius 38 1069239 Homicide
If you are interested in being a part of an organization that is monitoring 8th Amendment violations by GDOC against inmates, check out the FB group THEY HAVE NO VOICE.
Charles Evans
March 3, 2021 at 5:16 pm
They should’ve put his ass in a hospital bed permanently. Use of force is always authorized if they attacked a guard, our country is so messed up
Chiron8839
March 3, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Ga opinion, my guess is that they grossly exceeded the necessary degree of force to restrain the inmate. In a hostage situation I negotiated 36 years ago, the event that preceded the stabbing of 7 guards and kidnapping and confinement of three others was a cell extraction. A prisoner in a lick-up unit refused to exit his cell for a search, so officers tear gassed, macec, and beat him into submission, but then cuffed and shackled him, hogtied him by connecting the cuffs and shackles with a short chain behind his back, then continued to mace him, kick him, and hit him with riot batons over a protracted period of time.
Richard
June 23, 2021 at 8:31 pm
I understand people are locked up for breaking the law and I understand people jobs are dangerous at times.
However, more than not , guard’s are absolutely abusing inmates. I wasn’t even an inmate but sit quickly and watch a guard make fun , harassing the entire visit with my nephew. She made moves as if she were going to hit him and saying he has something coming. I was about to blow my top and my nephew claimed me down and said let it go. I haven’t done anything to her she likes to talk.
Two days later my nephew was put in solitary and had his face busted with a metal tray. No medical !
Another time had been beat so bad , black and blue with a jaw broken . No medical until we got harsh with the wardens! Who tried to say he didn’t know my nephew had been beat so bad. Yeah, you see this White boy with a busted up face , swallow eyes and complicating of his jaw hurting and you don’t know anything! I know why he go his face busted once bc the warden didn’t like I reported him and others to the governor and many others.
Go to the Family Day and let your voice be known how inmates are treated!
DC Hicks
May 6, 2023 at 1:53 am
Funny how many law and order types here completely throw their beliefs out the door when the victim is an incarcerated person. You do realize how badly you must beat an inmate to be fired get arrested and be held accountable just like any other citizen of GA. They lost control and became judge jury and enforcer while guarding other citizens who are paying the price for their transgressions the price being your loss of freedom that and that alone so the CO’s are being held accountable to the same standards as every other GA resident which is exactly what law and order means. The CO’s could have gotten their pay back licks in while detaining the inmate with no one the wiser but just like criminals everywhere took it to far thinking they would get away with their crimes since the victim had struck first against one of theirs and according to the CO Judge jury and enforcers he had whatever they dealt out coming to him and proceeded to beat the living shit out of a scumbag yes but still a fellow human with the right to be kept in lawful conditions it’s what separates law abiding citizens from criminals. Sorry the law and order kick his ass crowd fail to see the importance of this or just dont care and unfortunately are basically just uncaught thugs themselves pretending to have a set of standards that are easily jettisoned when inconvenient.