SENATOR ADDIEGO LAYS OUT NEED FOR ACTION AFTER PRISON ABUSE, DELAYS

Reiterates call for Commissioner to leave

office and need for immediate action and accountability

Trenton – Senator Dawn Addiego (Atlantic/Burlington/Camden) released the following statement today:

“Just over two weeks ago my Senate colleagues and I called on Governor Murphy to demand Commissioner Hicks’ resignation following the horrific violence and abuse committed against women inmates by prison officers and supervisors at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility. This problem requires immediate action; therefore I am again calling for the Governor to request the commissioner’s resignation or remove him from his post.

“Despite promises of change, the abuse and assaults continued, and Commissioner Hicks must be held accountable for his department’s failure to protect these vulnerable women and to root out the culture of abuse at his facility, especially considering that the Commissioner knew of problems at the facility following the U.S. Department of Justice’s April 2020 report and hearing firsthand about sexual assault and other physical abuse at the facility as recently as July 2020.

“In light of the urgency of the matter, and in addition to repeating my earlier call for action, I am asking him to inform when his own independent investigation will conclude – preferably by February 25th, one month after the new revelations of abuse were first reported by NJ.com. I also ask that the Governor publicly commits to taking meaningful action immediately after the independent investigation is concluded.

“While some lawmakers in the General Assembly have pressed for impeachment proceedings, which I support if no other actions are taken, impeachment can only begin in the Assembly and is a lengthy process that could take weeks or months to conclude. That is why I am calling for immediate action that will move us towards justice and accountability right now.

“Therefore, I ask that Governor Murphy stand with us and hold Commissioner Hicks and everyone else involved in this human tragedy responsible, set a real timeline for the independent investigation, and commit to immediate action to remedy the problems at the correctional facility and find justice for the women victims.”