'Want to leave with missing teeth': Ex-inmate accuses Edna Mahan guard of sexual assault
A former inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is suing the state Department of Corrections alleging she was forced to have sex with a male corrections officer.
The inmate, identified in the suit filed in Hunterdon County Superior Court as "Jane Doe," argues that she was the victim of a sexual assault by a guard who is identified as "John Doe," though he had a nickname of "J-Rod."
The suit, one of many that allege misconduct by corrections offices at the women's prison, alleges that on Aug. 21, 2021, the guard was in the inmate's cell when he slapped her on the foot and told her "to get up and come here."
The guard then directed her to a bathroom where he switched off his body camera, undid his pants and demanded the inmate perform a sexual act, the lawsuit alleges.
The guard told the inmate he could make her time at the prison "really good" and that she did not "want to leave with missing teeth," the lawsuit alleges.
The inmate then performed the sexual act and after that day, she never saw the guard again because he was transferred to a male prison, the lawsuit contends.
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As a result of the incident, the inmate has experienced "great pain, suffering and Mental anguish," the lawsuit says.
The woman is asking for both compensatory and punitive damages.
The suit accuses the Department of Corrections of negligence for failing to properly train the guard.
In June 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered the closure of the prison after the number of scandals involving sexual and physical abuse by guards became public, including criminal charges against guards.
However, plans have not yet been announced for the location of a new prison for women though state officials estimate the project will cost $300 million.
Murphy had requested $90 million in this year's fiscal budget for the closure.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ women's prison guard accused of sexual assault by former inmate
