Inmate charged after attack on corrections officer at Rockview state prison in Centre County
A man serving a lengthy state prison sentence was charged Friday with aggravated assault after an attack seriously injured a corrections officer at Rockview state prison.
Jerome J. Washington, 37, was accused of striking the corrections officer in the face multiple times earlier this month. The attack continued for “several minutes,” state police at Rockview wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
The corrections officer was escorting Washington back to his cell after he requested to leave an activities group early, police wrote.
Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association President John Eckenrode intimated the officer was escorting Washington to his cell alone. He also implied Washington has an “extensive history of violence and misconduct” inside state prisons.
The officer was transported by ambulance to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he was treated for multiple facial fractures that required surgery.
It is not known if Washington has a defense lawyer.
Washington is serving a 31- to 100-year state prison sentence. He was found guilty in October 2008 of rape, robbery, terroristic threats and other charges in Allegheny County.
Washington is not eligible for parole until at least 2037, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections spokeswoman Maria Bivens said. His preliminary arraignment has not been scheduled.
Washington was moved to Forest state prison in northwest Pennsylvania.
The corrections officer was one of three staff members who were assaulted by inmates at the two state prisons in Centre County since the start of the year.
Two staff members at Benner state prison were treated for minor injuries earlier this year, police wrote in a statement. Police are also investigating the deaths of two Rockview state prison inmates during a four-day period earlier this month.
