Violence Erupts At Essex County Prison; Inmate Slammed By ‘Piledriver’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An inmate gave another prisoner a “piledriver” onto a concrete floor, two correctional officers were taken to the hospital and an inmate trustee was attacked during a rash of violence that took place at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark last weekend, sources say.

The Essex County Correctional Facility (ECCF) – which is the largest county-run prison in New Jersey – has seen several assaults take place on its premises over the past year. The latest violence erupted on Sunday, a source familiar with the prison told Patch.

A county spokesperson confirmed that the following incidents took place on Jan. 5, but declined further comment:

• 8 A.M. (approximately) – A 6-foot-1-inch, 220-pound inmate allegedly rammed another prisoner’s head into the concrete floor in an incident compared to a “WWF cage match,” sending him to the hospital with a spine injury that required emergency surgery. The extent of the wounded man’s injuries isn’t currently known, but they are severe. Another inmate involved in the melee was also taken to the hospital with an injury. Dozens of other prisoners housed in the unit witnessed the fight, resuming their regular daily schedule within an hour or two.
• 9:30 A.M. – A correctional police officer was allegedly assaulted by an inmate and transported to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston for treatment.
• NOON – A 9-1-1 ambulance was needed to transport a correctional police sergeant to University Hospital in Newark subsequent to responding to an emergency call of an officer being assaulted by an inmate.
• 6 P.M. – Three inmates allegedly attacked an inmate trustee.

Like many other prisons across the nation, there has been a history of violence and complaints at the ECCF, which is also paid to house inmates from Union County and the U.S. Marshals Service. In all, the prison has a rated capacity of nearly 2,500 inmates, including men and women.

The jail 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 in 2021.

A nonprofit watchdog group named the prison as one of three “inhumane” jails in New Jersey in 2018, with issues allegedly including “undrinkable” water and “outdoor recreation” that is little more than a barred-over skylight.

In 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security claimed that several serious health and safety risks to inmates were found during a surprise inspection at the ECCF.

• See Related: Jail Served Us Meatballs That Smelled Like Feces, NJ Inmate Says
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An outcry from relatives of inmates and local activists led to the creation of a “civilian task force” at the jail in 2019.

In December 2021, county officials promised to carry out an independent review of the prison after the stabbing death of an inmate and a vicious beating, where an prisoner with schizophrenia was repeatedly smashed in the head with a microwave oven.

In the wake of the assaults, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 106 – which represents sergeants, lieutenants, captains and investigators within the Essex County Department of Corrections – said the violence didn’t come as a surprise.

Over the first six months of 2021, at least 21 officers were assaulted by inmates at the prison, sending 14 of them to a hospital emergency room. Over the same period, 81 staff members reported being exposed or assaulted with a prisoner’s bodily fluids, the union said.

As prison staff became more worried about their own safety amid the spike in attacks, administrators were warned – but didn’t act, the union alleged.

• See Related: Stabbing, Beating At Essex County Jail Is Only Tip Of Iceberg, Union Says
• See Related: Police Unions Have Split Opinion About Essex County Jail Director

As the review process played out, violent incidents continued to be reported at the prison, including an inmate death, a sexual assault and fires. Read More: Violence Continues At Essex County Prison: Inmate Death, Fires, Fights

Altogether, there were six inmate deaths and 14 attempted suicides reported at the Essex County Correctional Facility in 2022, the New Jersey Monitor reported.

In October 2022, Essex County released the results of its long-awaited deep dive into the inner workings of the jail. See Related: New Report Gives Deep Look Into NJ's Largest County Prison

Among other findings, the ECCF saw a “significant” 39.4 percent decrease in use of force incidents in the facility for the period of Jan. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2022, as compared with the same period in 2021.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. gave Patch the following statement when reached for comment about the report, pointing out that the prison has received multiple accreditations over the years:

“Although our Essex County Correctional Facility has passed rigorous annual inspections by the American Correctional Association, the New Jersey Department of Corrections and other accrediting agencies, we always are looking for ways to enhance our operations. The comprehensive review conducted by the Ambrose Group recognized the professionalism of our offices and staff and how well our facility is maintained, but also provided constructive criticism. With our newly-appointed director Ron Charles, we already have started implementing several of the recommendations included in the Ambrose report and will continue to work to ensure our ECCF provides a safe atmosphere for our officers, staff and inmates.”

The prison has been trying to roll out new services for inmates, including a job training program that offers career training in food work and construction, as well as GED and ESL courses. Read More: Prison Inmates In Essex County Get Job Training, Education

Watchdogs have kept an eye on the prison, however, with the civilian task force recently expressing concerns about a lack of staffing that impacts mental health care and the use of “special housing units” at the prison – including solitary confinement.

Meanwhile, violence has continued to be reported at the ECCF, including multiple incidents in 2024.

• See Related: Essex County Prison Updates: Death, Fight, Visitation Suspended
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