New Jersey

Inmate kiss warrants jail guard's removal, New Jersey Supreme Court rules • New Jersey Monitor

Published

2 years ago

July 23, 2024

Inmate kiss warrants jail guard's removal, New Jersey Supreme Court rules • New Jersey Monitor

The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a recommendation by the Department of Corrections that a jail guard be fired over his admission that he kissed an inmate, rejecting a decision by the Civil Service Commission that he face a six-month suspension instead.

The justices found the lesser punishment for senior correctional police officer Brian Ambroise was insufficient in light of the department’s stance that he could no longer be trusted as a corrections officer.

“We agree with the DOC that there is no situation more severe and contrary to the public interest than when a correctional officer tarnishes the institution by knowingly compromising the safety and security of himself, his fellow officers, and the inmates,” Justice Michael Noriega wrote for the unanimous court.

Their ruling will remand the matter back to the Civil Service Commission.

The Supreme Court’s decision is the latest in a saga of shifting penalties for the alleged abuses at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, the lone New Jersey women’s prison the state is moving to replace. More than a dozen officers and supervisors were charged for severely beating inmates during 2021 late-night cell extractions prohibited by department policy. That same year, the prison entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice after federal authorities found the facility failed to protect its inmates from sexual abuses there.

The Department of Corrections sought to oust Ambroise after an inmate, referred to as J.O. in the opinion and related court documents, told investigators they kissed and he performed oral sex on her in a closet.

Ambroise admitted to kissing her and to performing oral sex, though he later recanted the latter, saying he had no choice but to tell investigators “what they wanted to hear.” He also admitted to passing messages from J.O. to another inmate.

The department argued either of those findings ought to have been enough to dismiss Ambroise, alleging he admitted to violations that ended his ability to be trusted as a corrections officer.

Officials noted the department has a zero-tolerance policy for inmate abuse and undue familiarity with inmates. They said Ambroise had violated both and should be removed, adding he failed to report the kiss under a department policy that requires officials to detail unusual incidents.

Ambroise alleged he was retrieving supplies from the closet when J.O. entered and quickly kissed him on the lips. He said he did not report the incident because he did not believe it was unusual enough to warrant reporting. The justices disagreed.

“Intimate contact between an inmate and a corrections officer whether initiated by the inmate or the officer can never be anything but unusual,” Noriega wrote. “In this regard, Ambroise had no choice but to report that incident.”

Ambroise’s case stretches back to 2016 and has been investigated by the jail’s internal affairs unit and county prosecutors, heard by a jury that found Ambroise not guilty of sexual assault and official misconduct in 2018, and considered by an administrative law judge and the Civil Service Commission in the years since.

The administrative law judge in 2021 rejected the department’s request to remove Ambroise after finding J.O.’s testimony was not credible and tossing out the officer’s confession, saying it was coerced and involuntary because of the interrogation techniques used.

The judge ruled Ambroise should be suspended for 20 days after finding he failed to report the kiss.

On appeal, the Civil Service Commission extended Ambroise’s suspension to six months and awarded him back pay and benefits. An appellate court affirmed the commission’s decision.

The Supreme Court found previous adjudicators failed to lend proper weight to the department’s view of the severity of Ambroise’s offenses.

The high court’s justices said his failure to report the incident spawned questions about his trustworthiness that were only reinforced by his willingness to pass messages on the inmate’s behalf.

“His affirmative obligation — indeed, his duty — was simply to report the incident. His failure to do so risks the safety and security of the inmates, his fellow officers, and the institution,” Noriega wrote. “It amounts, in short, to an offense warranting termination of the officer’s employment.”

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New Jersey

Nightmare at NY Penn as train fire halts NJ Transit, Amtrak service for hours

Published

7 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Nightmare at NY Penn as train fire halts NJ Transit, Amtrak service for hours

New Jersey and New York City commuters are facing extensive delays in and out of New York Penn Station Friday, with intensifying ripple effects, after an Amtrak work train car on one of the hub’s tracks caught fire.

The FDNY says it was called to the Midtown scene on 31st Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, around 1:30 a.m. Nearly 100 personnel responded. Five civilians were evaluated at the scene by EMS, officials say.

It’s not clear what sparked the fire involving Amtrak’s contractor maintenance vehicles in one of the Hudson River Tunnels. It was knocked down well before 6 a.m., but service on New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and more was expected to see heavy impacts well into the morning rush, with Hudson River trains operating at reduced capacity. Amtrak said it didn’t expect to lift its suspension until at least noon.

Travel Advisory: Due to unforeseen track and signal maintenance resulting from a now extinguished fire in the New York area, all services traveling south of New York (NYP) are temporarily suspended. This suspension is anticipated to be in place until noon at a minimum. Services…
— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) May 29, 2026
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New Jersey Transit and LIRR also announced delays and cancellations. Cross-honoring and diversion programs were in effect as the situation developed. Complete LIRR service at NY Penn had resumed by around 7 a.m., Friday said, though equipment issues were causing cancellations. Get the latest transit information here.

Video from outside Penn Station showed smoke billowing in the pre-dawn hours, as emergency personnel stood by with stretchers awaiting any potential victims.

Amtrak is investigating the cause of the fire.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” the agency’s latest announcement said, pledging to provide updates as new information becomes available.

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New Jersey

Violence reported at Delaney Hall in N.J. Calls to shut it down are growing

Published

19 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

Violence reported at Delaney Hall in N.J. Calls to shut it down are growing

How are detainees at Delaney Hall being treated?

A statement issued by DHS said detainees receive comprehensive medical care and all are treated well.

“They are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Certified dieticians evaluate meals,” the department wrote.

The release accused Sherrill, Booker and U.S. Sen Andy Kim, as well as U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez, Nellie Pou, LaMonica McIver, Frank Pallone and Analilia Majia, of continuing “to peddle falsehoods about ICE facilities,” and “spreading smears about ICE law enforcement and the Delaney Hall ICE facility in New Jersey.”

Sinha said the assertion that individuals being arrested and taken to Delaney Hall are dangerous criminals is false.

“This is an administration that has repeatedly lied to us about what’s going on in immigration enforcement and immigration detention facilities,” Sinha said.

He added while Sherrill does not have the legal authority to enter Delaney Hall unannounced, that fact that she was denied entry is concerning.

“The federal government has denied her repeatedly, and it makes you question, ‘What is the federal government trying to hide?’” he asked. “They have no allegiance to any rule of law or semblance of democracy; they’re trying to rewrite the Constitution for people who are noncitizens.”

On Thursday, Sherrill issued a statement saying the New Jersey Department of Health attempted to conduct a inspection of Delaney Hall, but officials were only allowed to inspect only a limited part of the facility.

“We will review and share the department’s findings from the limited portion it was allowed to inspect, and we will continue to pursue all appropriate avenues for demanding transparency and ensuring humane conditions for the individuals being held at the facility,” she said in the statement. “As I’ve said repeatedly, refusing to provide full access raises serious questions about what ICE is trying to hide from public view.”

Sinha said a hunger strike among those inside the facility is continuing because they are being given spoiled food and inadequate medical care in deplorable conditions.

“People shouldn’t have to starve themselves to make their dignity known; people shouldn’t have to starve themselves to have their rights protected, but that’s what’s happening here,” he said.

Reports of escalating violence

Late Thursday afternoon there were reports of violence escalating within Delaney Hall.

Nedia Morsy, the director of Make the Road New Jersey, an immigration advocacy group, issued a statement saying multiple sources within the facility reported ICE agents attacking detainees and causing serious injuries.

“Right now there are ICE agents inside of Delaney Hall violently beating the hunger strikers,” Morsy said in the statement. “Someone will be killed if no one intervenes and shuts this down. These masked agents are acting as if they’re above the law. This is a modern-day concentration camp, and history will not forgive silence in this moment. We need to shut down Delaney Hall and free everyone inside.”

Resistencia en Accion, another immigrant rights group, also released a statement, calling for violence against detainees to end.

“We express our utmost disgust with the violence perpetrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents today, May 28. Reports at approximately 1:40 p.m. reveal that ICE agents attacked the hunger strikers inside with batons and tear gas. Family members outside received calls from inside, confirming that there were people screaming, and according to their loved ones inside, unconscious detainees and blood on surfaces. ICE is the sole responsible actor for the escalation that has led to several wounded people inside and outside this week,” the statement reads.

WHYY News reached out to DHS late Thursday seeking comment about the reports of violence at Delaney Hall. A written statement was emailed to WHYY that said ICE agents had responded to a physical altercation involving detainees.

“In accordance with established ICE policies and their training, staff used the minimum amount of force to safely deescalate the situation,” DHS wrote. “Following the incident, all affected detainees were promptly evaluated by on-site medical personnel and were cleared with no serious injuries.”

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