Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women (formerly the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women) is a
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...
facility for women of the state of
New Jersey Department of Corrections
The New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) is responsible for operations and management of prison facilities in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department operates 13 major institutions—seven adult male correctional facilities, three ...
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 128,947, making it the state's 18th-most populous county,Clinton. Its official abbreviation is EMCFW. The facility was named for Edna Mahan (b. 1900, pronounced Mann), one of the first female correctional superintendents in the U.S.
The current administrator is William Hauck; he has served in that position for four years. As of February 2009, the prison held 950 inmates in maximum, medium, and minimum security sections. As of June 2021, the prison housed 378 inmates.
According to the
New Jersey Department of Corrections
The New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) is responsible for operations and management of prison facilities in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department operates 13 major institutions—seven adult male correctional facilities, three ...
, Edna Mahan "provides custody and treatment programs for female offenders ages 16 and older. The facility features the Puppies Behind Bars program, in which inmates train guide dogs for the blind, among other unique ventures. EMCFW has a drug and alcohol treatment unit as well as Bureau of State Use Industries shops specializing in clothing and tele-response/data entry."
Escape
On November 2, 1979,
Assata Shakur
Assata Olugbala Shakur (born JoAnne Deborah Byron; July 16, 1947; also married name, JoAnne Chesimard) is an American political activist who was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). In 1977, she was convicted in the first-degree murder ...
, while in prison serving a life sentence for the 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster, escaped from the facility, aided by three members of the
Black Liberation Army
The Black Liberation Army (BLA) was a far-left, black nationalist, underground Black Power revolutionary paramilitary organization that operated in the United States from 1970 to 1981. Composed of former Black Panthers (BPP) and Republic ...
Mutulu Shakur
Mutulu Shakur (born Jeral Wayne Williams; August 8, 1950) is an American activist and former member of the Black Liberation Army, sentenced to sixty years in prison for his involvement in a 1981 robbery of a Brinks armored truck in which a guar ...
(no relation) and
Silvia Baraldini
Silvia Baraldini (December 12, 1947) is an Italian activist. She was active in both the Black Power and Puerto Rican independence movements in the United States in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In 1982 she was sentenced to 43 years under the Rac ...
. In part for his role in the event, Mutulu was named on July 23, 1982, as the 380th addition to the FBI's list of Most Wanted Fugitives, where he remained for the next four years until his capture in 1986. In 2013, Assata Shakur was placed on the FBI's list of Most Wanted Terrorists, and she is believed to be living in Cuba under political asylum.
Sexual misconduct report
In April 2020, the
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...
released a report which cited the "open secret" of sexual misconduct in the prison.
Incidents
In 1994, Kevin Brodie was fired and prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with an inmate/parolee.
In 1995, William Jimenez stayed in a hotel with an inmate during a leave of absence. He was later fired and prosecuted.
In the summer of 1998, David Clappison entered a guilty plea to sexual assault after admitting to having had sexual relations with an inmate.
Robert Scannicchio was fired for vacationing with a former inmate in 1998. It was also reported that they became “unduly familiar” with each other while she was incarcerated.
In the spring of 1998, Jeffrey Barr was fired and prosecuted for having sexual contact with an inmate.
Stewart Sella was accused of sexually assaulting Jacqueline Haggenmiller and Tammy Davis ten times between 1997 and 1999. In 1998, Haggenmiller reported rapes and sexual assaults against her by Sella. After a formal investigation, Sella was fired and charged in 2000.
Tammy Davis initially reported her allegations against Sella to Regina Dozier, almost two years prior to Haggenmiller’s reports. Dozier was later investigated and fired for covering up Davis’ allegations. Dozier was also charged with official misconduct and improper sexual contact after she allegedly had sexual contact with four inmates at the prison.
Ralph Grier was sentenced to five years in prison for taking photos of an inmate while she was “flashing” the camera. It was verbally agreed upon before the taking of the photos between Grier and the inmate that she would receive $150 and a transfer to a new cell. Instead of this, she received $30 and no transfer. Before the incident, Grier would often give the inmate cigarettes, candy, gum, and, on one occasion, a pair of earrings.
In 2008, James Gallichio was charged with second-degree misconduct and sexual assault after an unidentified inmate came forwarded and told investigators that they had a “mutual sexual relationship” while she was incarcerated, according to a probable cause affidavit. Gallichio smuggled a phone into the facility for the inmate and, between November 2007 and March 2008, the two spoke on the phone 894 times. Since most of the phone calls were made over a recorded line, it was easy for investigators to discover their professed love for each other. Also, it was stated that Gallichio smuggled in the “wand”, code for pregnancy test, to the inmate, and that “tells you something”, according to court papers. Gallichio is currently serving a 12-year sentence for armed robbery.
On October 31, 2016, Joel Herscap entered a guilty plea for the following charges: two counts of second-degree official misconduct, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. It was reported that he was trading tobacco products in exchange for sex.
Jason Mays was arrested in September 2016 and was later found guilty of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, as well as official misconduct. One of the inmates with whom Mays performed intercourse testified during his trial. She said she only did it because her parole date was coming up and didn’t want another infraction. She also stated “It was an officer versus an inmate… they could take my release date away from me in a blink of an eye.”
Ahnwar Dixon was arrested on November 19, 2016, and was later indicted on one count of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of second-degree official misconduct, five counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct.
Brian Ambroise was arrested in October 2016 and is set to face charges of sexual assault and official misconduct. It was reported that Ambroise engaged in a “pattern” of official misconduct.
Thomas Seguine was arrested on February 19, 2017, and sentenced on May 1, 2017. He pleaded guilty to official misconduct after authorities accused him of having sex with an inmate. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Joel Mercado was indicted on August 17, 2017, on two counts of official misconduct and two counts of sexual assault. It was reported that Mercado had sexual relationships with two separate inmates.
On February 2, 2018, Ronald Coleman Jr. was arrested and charged with seven counts of official misconduct, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual assault, one count of pattern of official misconduct, and three counts of criminal sexual conduct.
Erick Melgar had sexual assault allegations against him by six different inmates. Melgar was fired from his job as a correctional officer in 2010. On March 22, 2017, Melgar reportedly paid the six inmates $75,000. Melgar was never officially charged with a crime. The head of the Edna Mahan during the time of the internal investigation stated that Melgar should have been criminally charged.
A 2020 report by the Justice Department mentioned that sexual abuse had been rampant at the facility for decades. In mid-2020, press reports indicated that some inmates were forced to trade sex for toilet paper.
In 2021, 31 correctional staff members were suspended.
As a result of the numerous incidents and allegations, the governor of New Jersey announced that the prison would be closed.
In April 2022, it was revealed that a transgender inmate had impregnated two female inmates at the prison after they had consensual sex.
Music & film
The facility played host to The
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue was a 1975–1976 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan with numerous musicians and collaborators. The purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan, who had now become a major recording artist and concert perfor ...
Tour on December 7, 1975, headed by
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
.
The 2004 documentary ''Freedom Road'' by Lorna A. Johnson, depicting the lives of three inmates, was filmed at Edna Mahan. Another documentary, ''Going Home'', was also shot at Edna Mahan and was based on Steven Kalafer's observation of the Life Skills Academy program.
Notable inmates
* Kathleen Dorsett – convicted of the 2010 murder of her ex-husband
*
Diane Downs
Diane Elizabeth Downs ( Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American criminal who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, Oregon, in May 1983. Following the crimes, she made claims to police ...
– convicted of the 1983 murder of her daughter and attempted murder of her other children; transferred from Oregon after escape
*
Amy Locane
Amy Rose Locane (born December 19, 1971) is an American television and film actress known for her role in John Waters' 1990 musical comedy '' Cry-Baby''. In 1992, Locane portrayed Sandy Harling in the first season of the prime time soap opera ''M ...
– original cast member of '' Melrose Place''; convicted of 2010 vehicular homicide and assault by auto
* Michelle Lodzinski – convicted of the 1991 murder of her five-year-old son
*
Melanie McGuire
Melanie Lyn McGuire (''née'' Slate; born October 8, 1972) is an American former nurse who was convicted of murdering her husband on April 28, 2004, in what media dubbed the "suitcase murder". She was sentenced to life in prison on July 19, 2007, ...
– convicted of the 2004 murder of her husband; serving life without parole
*
Assata Shakur
Assata Olugbala Shakur (born JoAnne Deborah Byron; July 16, 1947; also married name, JoAnne Chesimard) is an American political activist who was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). In 1977, she was convicted in the first-degree murder ...
(formerly JoAnne Chesimard) – convicted of the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Trooper; escaped in 1979
*Leslie Nelson – convicted of the murder of two police officers