Fifth former guard pleads guilty to role in prisoner death

A former West Virginia corrections officer admitted on Wednesday to his part in an assault of a prisoner that resulted in his death, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Mark Holdren pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate the civil rights of an anonymous inmate court documents identify only as “Q.B.” Holdren and his accomplices used unreasonable force, according to the DOJ release. Holdren is one of six former corrections officers federally indicted in 2023 for conspiracy and cover-up related to the fatal assault.

What happened? Holdren responded to a call for assistance after Q.B. attempted to push past officers to leave his cell, according to prosecutors. Despite the inmate being forcibly restrained when Holdren arrived, the guard began knee-kicking Q.B. The officers then brought the prisoner to an interview room and continued to assault him, repeatedly hitting and kicking Q.B.’s head and body, according to the DOJ. The inmate was restrained in handcuffs while the officers beat and pepper sprayed him, the DOJ release said. The assault was not recorded because officers chose an interrogation room without surveillance cameras, Holdren admitted. Holdren said he knew officers had previously taken misbehaving inmates to so-called prison blind spots for punishments with unreasonable force, the DOJ reported. Holdren will face up to 30 years in prison for the offense, and a fine of up to $250,000.

What happened to the other officers involved? Two other indicted officers pleaded guilty in August to failing to intervene against the unreasonable force and will be sentenced in early January 2025. Two other guards and a former lieutenant who were also indicted are scheduled to go to trial on Dec. 10. Two more officers pleaded guilty to conspiring to use unreasonable force connected to the beating before the November 2023 indictment. They are scheduled to be sentenced in early February 2025.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the DOJ declaring Georgia prison conditions inhumane.