Two former correctional officers at Augusta State Medical Prison have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia on charges related to the death of an inmate. Robert Roberson and Marcus Phillips are accused of violating the constitutional rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm, which allegedly resulted in the inmate’s death. The indictment also charges Roberson with falsifying a logbook in an attempt to cover up his actions.
According to the indictment, on October 28, 2020, both officers became aware of a smoldering fire in an inmate’s cell. Rather than taking action—such as extinguishing the fire, evacuating the inmate, addressing smoke in the cell, or calling for emergency assistance—they allegedly left the inmate locked inside for several hours. The indictment claims this led to the inmate dying from smoke inhalation.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Augusta Field Office announced the charges.
“The FBI Augusta Resident Agency is investigating the case,” according to officials.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia along with Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Officials emphasized that “an indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
