Deonte Pate, Inmate Assault and Cover-Up, Mississippi 2026

A disturbing case of corruption and abuse of power has come to light in Mississippi. Deonte Pate, a 24-year-old corrections officer at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, has been sentenced to 5 years of probation with 12 weeks of weekend confinement for conspiring to cover up the beating of an inmate identified by his initials, K.H.

Pate acknowledged that he submitted false reports and lied to the FBI in order to prevent knowledge of the beating from reaching outside authorities. His actions led to a severe beating of the inmate, who suffered temporary blindness, severe blood loss, a broken orbital bone, and permanent partial vision loss.

This case is not an isolated incident. In 2016, Pate was charged along with three other corrections officers, including Romander Nelson, 44. Nelson was sentenced to 5 years of probation, 14 weeks of weekend confinement, and a $500 fine for failing to protect the victim during the beating.

The investigation revealed that Pate and Nelson were not the only ones involved in the cover-up. Lawardrick Marsher, 28, and Robert Sturdivant, 47, also pleaded guilty to their roles in the crime. Marsher has pleaded guilty to carrying out the assault, while Sturdivant, a supervisor, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to cover up the assault.

The sentences for all four corrections officers are a reminder that public officials owe a duty of honesty and integrity to the individuals under their protection. 'Every corrections officer owes a duty of honesty and integrity to the individuals under his or her protection,' said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler.

The FBI, which investigated the case along with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, will continue to aggressively investigate any allegations of civil rights violations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Coleman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section.

The exact date of the beating is not specified, but the case was investigated by the FBI's Jackson Division. Pate and Nelson were charged in 2016. The sentencing for Marsher and Sturdivant is scheduled for June 15.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/mississippi-corrections-officers-sentenced-inmate-assault-and-cover