Federal Jury Convicts Louisiana Deputy U.S. Marshal of Civil Rights and Obstruction of Justice
Summary
A federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana convicted Deputy U.S. Marshal Joshua Firmin of civil rights violations and obstruction of justice. Firmin was convicted of assaulting a restrained prisoner on February 9, 2024, at the U.S. District Court in Lafayette, Louisiana, striking the victim with cell keys and forcefully slamming his head against a cellblock wall. Firmin was also convicted of writing a false incident report to cover up the assault. The verdict holds a federal law enforcement officer accountable for violating a prisoner's constitutional rights.
What changed
A federal jury convicted Deputy U.S. Marshal Joshua Firmin of civil rights violations and obstruction of justice. On February 9, 2024, Firmin assaulted a restrained prisoner at the U.S. District Court in Lafayette, Louisiana, striking the victim with cell keys and forcefully slamming the victim's head against a cellblock wall, causing a scalp injury requiring staples. Firmin then filed a false official report claiming the victim had attempted to spit at him, constituting obstruction of justice.
This conviction has implications for law enforcement officers and agencies, particularly those involved in prisoner custody operations. The verdict demonstrates that federal law enforcement officers will be held accountable for constitutional violations against prisoners and that falsifying official reports to obstruct justice will result in criminal convictions.
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Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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Federal Jury Convicts Louisiana Deputy U.S. Marshal of Civil Rights and Obstruction of Justice Charges
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Share For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Yesterday, a federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana, convicted Deputy United States Marshal Joshua Firmin of subjecting a prisoner to cruel and unusual punishment by severely assaulting the victim without cause. Firmin was also convicted of obstruction of justice for writing a false report about the incident.
“When the defendant beat the victim without any lawful purpose or justification, he violated the Constitution and breached the public’s trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The jury’s verdict sends a clear message that all Americans — including prisoners — are entitled to basic human dignity.”
The evidence at trial established that on Feb. 9, 2024, Firmin was supervising prisoner custody operations at the U.S. District Court in Lafayette, Louisiana, when he assaulted the victim while the victim was restrained in handcuffs, a belly chain, and leg irons. Firmin opened a locked cell door, grabbed the victim by the collar, and struck the victim in the face with a ring of cell keys. Then Firmin pulled the victim out of the cell and shoved him forcefully against the cellblock wall. Because the victim was unable to brace himself or dampen his fall due to his restraints, the victim’s head struck the cellblock wall forcefully, resulting in a scalp injury that required staples to close. Firmin later wrote and submitted an official U.S. Marshals Service incident report in which he falsely stated that he used force in reaction to the victim attempting to spit on him.
The Office of the Inspector General, Houston Division, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Updated April 16, 2026 Topic Civil Rights Components Civil Rights Division Civil Rights - Criminal Section USAO - Louisiana, Eastern Press Release Number: 26-363
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