Teenager Pleads Guilty to Homicide of Prison Guard: Mental Illness Defense in Trial
A teenager in Wisconsin pleaded guilty to homicide after killing a prison guard during a fight but claims he should not be sentenced to prison due to mental illness. Javarius Hurd, 17, entered a plea of guilty/not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to one count of second-degree reckless homicide and one count of battery by a prisoner. The case will proceed to a trial in February where jurors will decide whether Hurd should be imprisoned or committed to a mental institution based on his mental state at the time of the incident.
Hurd's attorney stated that the plea agreement partially resolves the case involving the death of the prison guard, Corey Proulx. Hurd acknowledges the loss and suffering caused by his actions and hopes the agreement will aid in the healing process for all those affected. The incident occurred at the Lincoln Hills-Copper Lakes School, the state's youth prison, where Hurd was incarcerated in June 2024.
Another inmate, Rian Nyblom, pleaded guilty to being a party to battery in connection with the incident and received a five-year prison sentence. Nyblom provided Hurd with soap and conditioner to carry out the attack on the female counselor, leading to the fatal confrontation with Proulx. The youth prison has faced allegations of staff-on-inmate abuse, prompting legal action and reforms to improve conditions.
Following Proulx's death, there were calls for stricter punishment for incarcerated children, but Governor Tony Evers emphasized the gradual improvements at the prison. Efforts to close the facility and replace it with smaller regional prisons are ongoing, with construction underway for the new facilities. Despite the challenges, progress has been made in addressing the issues at Lincoln Hills-Copper Lake, as reported by a court-appointed monitor in October.