A Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) lieutenant was found guilty of violating the civil rights of a 47-year-old inmate, identified as W.W., by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, the U.S. Department of Justice DOJ) announced today.
According to court documents, Lt. Shronda Covington, 49, and registered nurse Tonya Farley, 53, both of Chesterfield, Virginia, were on duty at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg, Virginia, on Jan. 9, 2021, the DOJ confirmed.
Evidence introduced at trial showed that in the early morning hours of Jan. 9, 2021, W.W.’s cellmate reported to facility staff that W.W. was exhibiting bizarre and unusual behavior, including an inability to speak or walk normally, the department said.
Over the next two days, FBOP officials were aware of but disregarded symptoms indicating W.W. was experiencing a neurological crisis, the department said.
These symptoms included incomprehension and struggles to stand or walk without falling, the DOJ confirmed.