Inmates Found Guilty After Brutal Prison Beating In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Two inmates at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark have been convicted of attempted murder after they brutally beat a fellow inmate in 2021, authorities announced this week.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office released the following statement about the attack on Jayshawn Boyd, 22, who suffered a traumatic brain injury from the assault:

“The vicious beating of Boyd occurred at the Essex County jail, Newark, in Building 3, Level 1, C-Pod. On September 23, 2021, seven inmates attacked Boyd in the common area of the C-pod, beating him unconscious by punching him in the face and stomping on his head. Upon seeing the riot, the sole corrections officer assigned to the C-Pod exited for his safety and immediately called for assistance. Once Boyd was unconscious, Byad Lockett and Darryl Watson struck Boyd in the head multiple times with a microwave oven, a multi-gallon beverage dispenser and a broom. Watson furthermore picked up a water cooler and a trash can and threw the items at Boyd’s head. [Another inmate], Isaad Jackson, picked up a mop bucket full of water and threw it at Boyd’s head and struck him in the head with a multi-gallon beverage dispenser. This attempted murder, which lasted approximately two minutes, was captured on video surveillance at the jail.”

Following a two-week trial, an Essex County jury found Lockett and Watson guilty of multiple crimes, including first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault and third-degree possession of a microwave for an unlawful purpose, prosecutors said.

Jackson was found guilty of third-degree possession of a mop bucket and a multi-gallon beverage dispenser for the unlawful purpose of attempting to murder Boyd. The jury was hung as to first-degree attempted murder and second-degree aggravated assault charges for Jackson, authorities said.

Prosecutors added:

“[Judge Ronald Wigler] has scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2023. Meanwhile, Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2023, after being convicted of murder at a separate trial. Locket is presently serving 12 years in New Jersey State Prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder on February 17, 2023. Jackson also has a pending homicide charge. The state will be seeking a sentence for this jail attack to run consecutive to the underlying matters that Watson, Lockett, and Jackson are facing or are serving in New Jersey State Prison.”

“This attack was utterly senseless,” Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab said.

“The victim was unconscious after sustaining serious head shots during the seven-on-one assault,” Edwab continued. “Lockett, Watson, and Jackson then returned to the defenseless body of Boyd and struck him in the head multiple times with industrial-sized items.”

“While the victim is permanently impaired due to the actions of Lockett, Watson, and Jackson, hopefully this verdict brings some justice to the Boyd family,” Edwab added.

After the beating – which made news headlines – authorities announced plans to conduct an independent review of the Essex County Correctional Facility.

In October, Essex County released the results of a massive, 184-page look into the inner workings of the jail, which is also paid to house hundreds of inmates from Union County and the U.S. Marshals Service. It previously housed detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), until the county ended its controversial, multi-million-dollar contract with the federal government last year.

In all, the prison has a rated capacity of 2,434 inmates – more people than the populations of 94 New Jersey municipalities.

• See Related: Long-Awaited Review Gives Deep Look Into NJ's Largest County Prison
• See Related: Stabbing, Beating At Essex County Jail Is Only Tip Of Iceberg, Union Says
• See Related: Violence Continues At Essex County Prison: Inmate Death, Fires, Fights

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