Two Ex-Correctional Officers Plead Guilty in Inmate Death

Two former West Virginia correctional officers, Jacob Boothe and Ashley Toney, pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of inmate Quantez Burks, who died in March 2022 after being beaten by other officers. They admitted to failing to intervene during the assault, which occurred after Burks attempted to leave his housing unit and was taken to a blind spot interview room where he was struck while handcuffed. Both officers are among six indicted in November 2023 related to the incident, with the remaining defendants set for trial in October. Burks's death, initially attributed to natural causes, was later revealed to involve multiple blunt force traumas according to a private autopsy. The case has spotlighted the inhumane conditions at Southern Regional Jail, where West Virginia recently settled a class-action lawsuit for $4 million. Boothe and Toney each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when sentenced on November 4.