4 Essex County jail officers indicted in coverup of assault on detainee, feds say – NJ.com

An Essex County correctional officer was indicted on federal civil rights violations after authorities say he assaulted a pretrial detainee in a case that has led to charges against five other officers at the jail, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

The indictment comes after Essex County Correctional Officer Angel Chaparro, 38, pleaded guilty in June to filing a false report when another officer assaulted the federal pre-trial detainee, federal authorities said. The detainee was not identified in court documents.

Essex County Correctional Officer Damion James, 41, was charged with assaulting the man in violation of his civil rights after authorities say he struck the detainee multiple times in the body and face in August last year. Chaparro implicated James as the one who began striking the victim as part of his guilty plea.

Court documents allege the man was taken to a disciplinary cell after he squirted a mixture of urine, yogurt and milk at an officer, who was not identified. That’s where James is accused of assaulting the man.

The man was taken to the emergency room at University Hospital in Newark two days later, suffering from large swelling and tenderness on the right side of his face and bruising around his right eye, court documents said.

Sgt. Herman Pride, 51, Sgt. Jennifer Whitley, 38, and Lt. Nicholas Palma, 46, were charged with failing to intervene to stop the assault and also indicted, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday. Whitley was additionally charged with submitting a false report to cover up the assault.

At the end of the assault, Pride allegedly said, “Okay, that’s enough,” according to court documents in the case. The officers were supposed to submit documentation regarding the use of force, but only Whitley submitted a report falsely indicating that no force was used, the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged.

Attorneys for James, Pride, Whitley and Palma did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night.

Another officer, Luis Ortiz, was also previously charged with conspiracy to violate the detainee’s civil rights. Federal court filings from May said he was in plea negotiations.

A spokesman for Essex County did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the indictments Friday night. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. previously said county officials immediately reported the assault to federal authorities once learning of it.

“If found in violation, we support prosecuting employees to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in March, when the first three officers were charged.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.