Six Former Correctional Officers Indicted in Inmate's Death at West Virginia Jail

Officers Accused of Beating Inmate and Covering Up Incident Amid Scrutiny Over Jail Conditions

Six former correctional officers have been indicted in connection with the 2022 death of Quantez Burks, a 37-year-old inmate at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia.
The officers are accused of beating Burks while he was handcuffed and restrained, leading to his death, and then attempting to cover up their actions.
The indictment alleges that three of the officers conspired to use unlawful force against Burks in retaliation for his attempt to leave his assigned pod.
Two other officers are accused of failing to intervene in the assault, and all six defendants are charged with conspiring to cover up the use of unlawful force.
The case has drawn attention to conditions at the Southern Regional Jail, which recently agreed to pay $4 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who described conditions at the jail as inhumane.