Ex-Prison Guard From West Deptford Violated Inmate's Rights: Feds

PHILADELPHIA — A West Deptford woman and former prison guard was federally charged with violating the constitutional rights of a Philadelphia prison inmate.

In August 2019, Ivory S. Cousins ignored an inmate's significant injuries suffered in an assault by other inmates, pepper sprayed him, helped another inmate to steal from him, and obstructed the investigation into what happened to him, federal authorities said Friday.

Cousins, now 35, was a correctional officer for the Philadelphia Department of Prisons at the time of the incident. She was charged by indictment Tuesday with violating the constitutional rights of a prison inmate.

While on duty at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, authorities said Cousins learned an inmate was assaulted by other inmates and had serious injuries. But she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, failed to get him medical attention and prevented a superior officer from discovering the inmate’s injuries, authorities said.

Her partner discovered the injured inmate and called for medical attention. But before assistance arrived to escort him to the medical unit, Cousins subjected the injured inmate to excessive force, namely that she "unreasonably" pepper sprayed him, the indictment says.

When the inmate was escorted out of the area for medical attention, authorities say Cousins further violated his constitutional rights by helping one of the inmates involved in his assault with stealing his personal belongings from his cell.

When she filed a report about the incident, Cousins provided false information about the injured inmate being aggressive, engaging in a fight, and using a weapon, authorities said.

If convicted, Cousins faces up to 41 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $1 million fine and a $400 special assessment.