Ex-prison guard convicted of allowing prisoners to be abused

Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville, pleaded guilty Feb. 26 before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden to depriving two inmates of their right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. Hand also received three years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

In December 2019, Hand was in the officers’ quarters in the Bayside kitchen when the first victim was called to that room.

Shortly after the victim entered the officer’s quarters, the exit door was blocked and the victim was attacked by several inmates and placed on the ground.

Hand watched and did not attempt to intervene as several inmates pinned the victim to the ground and held him down while other inmates attacked the victim’s torso, arms and legs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Hand did not report this attack to his supervisors or medical staff, despite being required to do so.

Later that same day, the second victim was in the jail’s officers’ quarters, along with Hand and another corrections officer. Without provocation, the other corrections officer struck the second victim in the legs several times with a broomstick. During the attack on the second victim, Hand remained within arm’s reach of the attack and had a reasonable opportunity to intervene but made no attempt to do so, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Once again, Hand did not report the attack to his supervisors or medical staff.

The FBI investigated with the assistance of the New Jersey Department of Corrections.