Former prison employees sentenced after Prince George inmate’s medical needs neglected, resulting in death
VENN
PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Two former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees have been sentenced after an inmate's medical needs were ignored in a federal prison in Prince George County, resulting in his death.
Former BOP lieutenant Shronda Covington and former BOP nurse Tonya Farley were sentenced on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8, respectively, for their conduct surrounding the death of 47-year-old "W.W." in early Jan. 2021.
Covington was found guilty of violating W.W.'s civil rights while he was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Petersburg, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She did so by "showing deliberate indifference to [his] serious medical needs."
According to court documents, Covington was on duty at FCI Petersburg on Jan. 9, 2021 when she "wilfully failed" to get W.W. medical attention during her shift, "even though she knew that W.W. had serious medical needs."
As a result of her neglect, W.W. suffered injuries over the course of a 30-hour period between Jan. 9 and 10, 2021. These injuries ultimately led to his death.
Additionally, both Covington and Farley were found guilty of lying to federal investigators about what happened to W.W., per the DOJ. In Farley's case, as a nurse at FCI Petersburg, W.W.'s medical care was her responsibility.
“Federal correctional officials who fail to do their jobs at the cost of inmate safety should be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Further, officials who obstruct investigations of their misconduct violate the public’s trust.”
Covington was sentenced to 12 months in prison. She will then be placed on a year of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release, the DOJ said.
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Farley was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by six months of home confinement and three years of supervised release.
“Custody includes a responsibility for safety and well-being,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Corrections staff must uphold that responsibility for persons in their care – or they will be held accountable for their failure to do so, like the defendants in this case.”
A third BOP official, former lieutenant Michael Anderson, previously pleaded guilty for his role in W.W.'s death. His sentence was three years.
