A Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) lieutenant and a nurse have been found guilty in Richmond, Virginia, on charges related to the death of an inmate due to their failure to provide necessary medical care. On December 21, Lieutenant Shronda Covington was convicted of violating the civil rights of an inmate by deliberately neglecting his serious medical needs. Both Covington and Registered Nurse Tonya Farley were also found guilty of making false statements to federal agents during the investigation.

Court documents reveal that Covington, 49, and Farley, 53, both from Chesterfield, were working at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg on January 9, 2021. They failed to ensure medical care for a 47-year-old inmate identified as W.W., despite being aware of his critical condition. The two lied about their involvement during the subsequent investigation.

Lieutenant Michael Anderson had previously pleaded guilty for his role in the incident and received a three-year sentence.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated, "These defendants showed an appalling indifference and disregard for W.W.’s life." U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber added that "the failure to honor that trust in this case cost a man his life."

Tim Edmiston from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General highlighted Covington's "inexcusable apathy" towards W.W.'s medical needs over two days leading to his death. He emphasized ongoing investigations into civil rights violations by FBOP employees.

Evidence presented at trial showed that W.W.'s cellmate alerted staff about W.W.'s unusual behavior on January 9, including sudden incontinence and inability to talk or walk normally. Despite knowing these symptoms indicated a neurological crisis, officials did not act. This negligence resulted in multiple falls causing severe injuries until W.W. succumbed to blunt force trauma after falling head-first into a wall.

Covington is scheduled for sentencing on May 7, 2025, facing up to 15 years in prison; Farley's sentencing follows on May 8 with a potential five-year term. A federal judge will decide their sentences based on guidelines and statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and other officials from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

Further details are available through related court documents online under Case No. 3:23-cr-68.