Investigation Launched After Prison Inmate Dies In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Authorities are investigating correctional officers and jail staff after an inmate died at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark on Friday.

According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the inmate was taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:03 a.m.

Authorities did not release the name of the inmate or the cause of death in an initial statement. No additional information was immediately available.

According to prosecutors:

“The investigation is being conducted pursuant to AG Directive 2019-4, which implements the statutory requirement that the Attorney General’s Office conduct the investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations. Per Section II.H.3 of the Directive, the investigation will be bifurcated, with the AG’s Office investigating the conduct of correctional officers and other jail staff, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office investigating the conduct of any other parties that may be responsible.”

The latest inmate death at the county-run prison comes just weeks after a video surfaced online, showing a group of prisoners brutally beating a fellow inmate.

The family of Jayshawn Boyd, 22, has reportedly filed a tort claim, with a lawsuit against Essex County potentially forthcoming, accusing the Essex County Department of Corrections of negligence and improper training.

• See related article: Video Shows Inmate Beaten With Microwave During NJ Jail Brawl

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