An inmate at the Essex County Correctional Facility has been charged with murder for allegedly stabbing a fellow inmate last week. The acting Essex County prosecutor charged the inmate with first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. A homicide investigation is ongoing, with the attorney general’s office also investigating.
Meantime, protesters rallied last night at the Essex County Hall of Records to demand answers about the fatal stabbing and about another incident from September, when the beating of an inmate was caught on surveillance video. Seven men attacked a fellow inmate, hitting him with objects including a microwave and a garbage can. The seven inmates have been charged in the beating, and the victim remains hospitalized.
Following those two incidents, a civilian task force in Essex County is launching a review of operating procedures at the jail, including security and employee responsibilities. Advocates at last night’s rally called for the jail to be shut down.
