Marcus Phillips, Robert Roberson, Neglect of Inmate's Constitutional Rights, Georgia 2020

Augusta, Georgia - In a shocking turn of events, two former correctional officers at the Augusta State Medical Prison have been charged with violating the constitutional rights of an inmate, resulting in his death.

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia returned a two-count indictment against former correctional officers Robert Roberson and Marcus Phillips, alleging they willfully disregarded the substantial risk of serious harm to the inmate by leaving him in his locked cell for several hours while he slowly died from smoke inhalation.

According to the indictment, on October 28, 2020, Roberson and Phillips became aware of a smoldering fire in an inmate's cell. Rather than extinguish the fire, evacuate the inmate from his cell, remediate the smoke from the cell, or call a fire emergency over the radio, they left him in his locked cell for several hours.

The indictment further charges Roberson with falsifying a logbook to cover up his misconduct.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Atlanta's Augusta Resident Agency is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The indictment charges Phillips with one count of violating the constitutional rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm to an inmate, resulting in his death. Roberson is charged with two counts: one count of violating the constitutional rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm to an inmate, resulting in his death, and one count of falsifying a logbook to cover up his misconduct.

The case highlights the need for accountability in our correctional facilities. "The safety and well-being of inmates are of the utmost importance," said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons. "We will continue to investigate and prosecute cases where correctional officers fail to provide adequate care and supervision to inmates."

Source: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-augusta-state-medical-prison-correctional-officers-charged-connection-inmates-death