The Rise of GEORGIA'S Washington State Prison Warden

A Tale of Trauma, Violence, and Death

WASHINGTON STATE PRISON, GEORGIA

This is the story of the rise of Washington State Prison's warden, Veronica Stewart. Stewart rose quickly through Georgia's corrections. Her case is chilling, and it shows institutional psychopathy. It could possibly be the worst in American corrections. She has been in the GA DOC for seventeen years, and her path showed rising brutality. It showed deliberate cruelty and manipulation. Washington State Prison changed. It became a torture chamber. Federal investigators say that human dignity has vanished there. Rights have become meaningless words.

Veronica Stewart's Career Progression: A Timeline of Promotions Despite Escalating Misconduct

Stewart's rule, consequently, saw an explosion of violence. Indeed, she is more dangerous than her own inmates. In fact, she controls a staggering 1,558 prisoners. Furthermore, federal probes show clear evidence of her actions. Likewise, court papers reveal her deeds. Moreover, eyewitnesses shared their harrowing stories. Additionally, leaked reports also demonstrate her acts.

• She lacks empathy.
• She abuses authority.
• She tolerates extreme violence.
• She is a textbook institutional sadist.
• Her role is prison administration.

The Making of a Monster: Early Career and Emerging Patterns

Veronica Stewart joined Georgia corrections in 2007. This began a pattern of abuse. Psychologists call it predator progression. Most officers serve the public. Stewart showed superficial charm early. She had no regard for human welfare. These traits mark psychopathic personalities. They seek power over others.

Research shows such individuals seek authority and seek out careers where they control defenseless populations. Stewart rose through the ranks fast.

• She became sergeant in 2012.
• She was a lieutenant by 2014.
• She manipulated hierarchies well.
• She hid her true nature.
• Supervisors missed the predator..

Stewart worked at Telfair State Prison. She cultivated a "mask of sanity." This persona seemed competent. She appeared dedicated. Yet, she harbored antisocial traits. Former colleagues saw her change. She was charming to leaders, and brutal to inmates. This pattern shows emotional switching and psychopathic behavior.

Stewart, in fact, stayed over ten years, thus suggesting she hid misconduct well. Indeed, institutional culture seemingly allowed abuse to fester. However, her 2018 transfer was only temporary. Specifically, she went to Calhoun State Prison, where she became the Medical Unit Manager. Presumably, this move aimed to address prior concerns. Nevertheless, official records are heavily redacted, consequently showing how Georgia hides staff misconduct.

The Riggs Assault: Chemical Torture as Attempted Murder

Specifically, the April 17, 2023, incident occurred at Telfair State Prison. According to witness accounts, she willingly committed attempted murder, moreover, she used chemical weapons. Consequently, Daniel Eugene Riggs filed a lawsuit, which details a chilling attack. This incident clearly demonstrates calculated cruelty. Furthermore, institutional psychopaths often inflict suffering, gaining satisfaction from such acts.

Court documents were carefully compiled, and they clearly show a federal civil rights case against Stewart. Reportedly, Stewart responded to Riggs's suicide attempt with a complete lack of empathy. Moreover, this incident defines psychopathic behavior. Specifically, Riggs was unconscious and suicidal, and he needed immediate medical aid. Instead, Stewart entered his cell and used pepper spray on him. Ultimately, this action served no correctional purpose; rather, it demonstrated "instrumental aggression" as she inflicted suffering for her own satisfaction.

Stewart's justification was most telling. She stated, "officers' safety was important," valuing it over the plaintiff's life. Ultimately, this fully dehumanizes others, reducing humans to mere objects. Their suffering becomes inconsequential, or even enjoyable. No rational officer would agree; an unconscious person simply isn't a threat. Therefore, Stewart's actions were calculated, not reactive.

The timing of the pepper spray was key: Riggs was unconscious. Therefore, this was not a fear-based choice, but rather a deliberate act. Stewart clearly wanted to inflict pain when Riggs could not resist or defend himself. Furthermore, psychopaths often feel "duping delight" as they cause suffering with a veneer of deniability. In this case, Stewart's safety claim provided cover for the chemical torture of a helpless person.

Pepper spraying an unconscious person is dangerous and can even be fatal. Despite the fact that Riggs was mentally compromised and had just attempted suicide, Stewart proceeded, showing a reckless disregard for his life. This kind of decision-making often marks psychopathic behavior and strongly suggests an intent to cause harm.

Institutional Endorsement of Torture: The Promotion Scandal

While the Riggs incident is disturbing, the Georgia DOC's response is even worse. They did not investigate the assault, nor did they discipline Stewart, even though she used chemical torture on an inmate. Instead, the DOC promoted her to warden just two months later, and this occurred after the federal lawsuit was filed. Therefore, this promotion effectively endorses torture, indicating that Georgia rewards dangerous personnel.

The DOC elevated Stewart despite litigation, clearly demonstrating systematic corruption. This is precisely how psychopathic leaders thrive within institutions that are supposed to protect vulnerable people. Ironically, Oliver praised Stewart's "dedication," suggesting her abuse is actually seen as an asset. It appears correctional leaders value control, and they achieve it through fear and violence.

This pattern, however, extends beyond Stewart. Indeed, officials are routinely promoted despite misconduct, revealing a broader DOC strategy. They protect abusive personnel who commit repugnant acts. Research consistently shows that organizations reward extreme violence when such acts serve institutional interests and maintain dominance.

Stewart's promotion, even while facing federal litigation, sends a clear message: brutality will be rewarded, and constitutional violations are protected. This ensures sadistic staff gain power, thereby creating a "culture of cruelty." This environment normalizes extreme violence and, in turn, attracts more psychopaths who can then inflict maximum harm.

The Stewart Effect:

Immediate Death and Destruction

Immediately upon Stewart's wardenship, inmate deaths spiked, and contraband smuggling rose rapidly. As a result, institutional chaos increased, as she was unable to keep security. Therefore, she endangered human lives. Disturbingly, two inmates died within two months, and the circumstances surrounding these deaths were poorly explained. Federal investigators noted her indifference, labeling it a "pattern of deliberate indifference."

The Stewart Effect: Immediate Deterioration at Washington State Prison (June-December 2024)

Torrey Forrester died on July 1, 2024, which was just two weeks into Stewart's tenure. Furthermore, he was only 42 years old and died in his cell. As a result, the circumstances were suspicious, but prison officials did not explain them. Instead, they concealed systematic failures, even though Forrester had served three years.

Forrester, sentenced for drug distribution, was expected to be released by March 2025, with his freedom just eight months away. So, his death under such circumstances is highly suspect, as inmates close to release typically avoid taking risks. This would suggest that conditions must have rendered survival impossible. Nevertheless, despite diligent efforts, investigations remain inconclusive.

Unfortunately, this issue is prevalent in Georgia, revealing hidden and dangerous conditions. In another tragic incident, just five weeks later, on August 9, 2024, Devonte Williams died at the age of 26. His death marked the second during Stewart's short tenure. Alarmingly, the death rate is exceedingly high, even surpassing that of war zones. Williams, meanwhile, was serving a 20-year sentence for aggravated assault.

• He had a May 2041 release date.
• He had no motive for self-harm.
• He had no motive for dangerous acts.

During Stewart's two-month tenure, the facility experienced two inmate deaths, which corresponded with a 400% increase in its death rate. These fatalities occurred under her administration, raising concerns about the circumstances or oversight during that period.

Systematic Torture Techniques: The Stewart Method

Social media reports confirm this. Eyewitnesses also testified. Stewart uses torture methods.

• She knows how to inflict harm.
• She causes psychological and physical pain.
• She maintains plausible deniability.

According to HCRCG, documented Facebook posts show Stewart assaulted a handcuffed person. Specifically, it was July 4, 2024, at Washington State Prison. Furthermore, inmates and staff saw her violent behavior.

Current officers risked retaliation; nevertheless, they spoke out. They reported that Stewart "empties cans of mace," spraying inside cells. Moreover, she covers the doors, preventing air circulation. Consequently, these acts are like gas chambers, torturing inmates with chemicals. This behavior clearly shows calculated cruelty.

• It is psychopathic violence.
• It aims to inflict prolonged suffering.
• It satisfies her need to dominate.
• She wants to destroy others.

Her torture techniques are systematic. Stewart sees her position differently; not as an administrator, but as an opportunity. She engages in state-sanctioned sadism, preying on a captive population. Since they cannot escape her abuse, she acts in front of witnesses. She either trusts institutional protection, or she wants to display her power.

Former subordinates saw her behavior. They say she enjoys inflicting pain.

• She mocked dying inmates.
• She called them "liabilities resolving."
• She saw suffering as entertainment.

This indifference is beyond incompetence. It reveals a fundamentally evil person. She sees humans as objects. They exist for her gratification.

The Contraband Empire: Enabling Criminal Networks

Stewart's supervision is lacking. Indeed, Washington State Prison is a hub, running sophisticated smuggling operations. This shows either administrative incompetence or deliberate facilitation. She appears to control criminal enterprises and corrupts everyone around her. For example, since March 2024, 21 attempted contraband drops occurred at Washington. These involved coordinated drone deliveries, suggesting criminal networks had insider help.

Brazen Contraband Smuggling Points to Potential Inside Coordination

Recent arrests have unveiled an alarming trend of brazen and frequent smuggling attempts into the prison. This is happening despite increased police presence. These operations involve significant quantities of contraband, including ecstasy, tobacco, and cell phones.

For example, one interdiction alone yielded 309 grams of ecstasy, 29 pounds of tobacco, and 37 cell phones, alongside other instances where 20 grams of ecstasy and two and a half pounds of tobacco were seized.

The high volume and frequency of these attempts suggest that criminal organizations perceive the prison as an easy target under Stewart's management. This could be due to a lack of competence on Stewart's part, or, more concerningly, her active involvement in these operations for personal gain. The systematic nature of the smuggling strongly indicates inside coordination, implying that personnel with knowledge of facility routines and security weaknesses are involved.

Some psychologists have labeled individuals in this way as having a "parasitic lifestyle," where administrators with psychopathic tendencies profit from the very criminal enterprises they should be disrupting. This type of leadership, focused on maximizing personal power and financial benefit, transforms the prison into a significant security threat.

Federal Intervention: Constitutional Violations Confirmed

Washington State Prison is a focus. Indeed, the DOJ investigated CRIPA violations there. They found systematic violations, indicating Georgia's prisons violate rights. Specifically, this includes torture and dehumanization. The October 2024 federal letter cited these issues. Currently, Stewart is warden of this facility. Ultimately, these conditions violate the Eighth Amendment, which forbids cruel punishment.

A long, stark prison corridor features barred cell doors, reflective floors, and barred windows allowing sunlight to stream in.

The DOJ found "deliberate indifference," which applies to prisoner welfare. These conditions amount to systematic torture. Consequently, it breaks human spirits; it does not provide mere confinement. Alarmingly, Stewart's facility clearly shows these failures.

• She cannot control smuggling.
• She cannot prevent violence.
• She fails basic safety standards.
• Medical care is not constitutional.

Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General, described the findings. She stated that "horrific conditions confine people" in Georgia's prisons. Furthermore, she noted that "people are assaulted, raped, and killed." Alternatively, "they languish in understaffed places." This federal finding is official. Clearly, Stewart's acts violate society's standards.

Gangs "co-opted" administration, especially in facilities like hers. Indeed, they determine bed assignments and control inmate movements. Administrators like Stewart, therefore, abdicate their duties. They ignore constitutional duties; they must maintain safe conditions. Ultimately, this abdication is a failure, as she must protect supervised individuals.

The Broader Crisis: Georgia's Systematic Collapse

Stewart's pathology is part of a larger collapse. Indeed, Georgia's system is broken, as federal investigators confirm. It is, in fact, a network of torture sites, violating constitutional standards. The state has seen a violence explosion, which matches official promotions. Ultimately, those promoted show indifference; they simply don't care about human suffering.

Georgia Prison Crisis: Record Violence Under DOC Leadership (2017-2024)

Georgia prisons had 66 homicides in 2024, marking a record high. This represents a 725% increase from 2017, when there were eight homicides. Consequently, this violence rate exceeds war zones, reflecting concentrated, preventable deaths. Moreover, total deaths reached 332 in 2024, a 112.8% increase from 2017, even exceeding COVID-19 mortality rates.

This violence, therefore, reflects institutional promotions. Indeed, officials like Stewart are promoted. Consequently, they see human life as expendable, and prisoner suffering becomes acceptable.

• It's collateral damage.
• It's for personal power.
• It's for psychological satisfaction.

The Georgia DOC won an award, specifically, the 2024 Golden Padlock Award. This award recognizes them as the "most secretive U.S. agency." Therefore, they actively conceal evidence of abuse.

The state resists federal oversight. They protect abusive personnel. This shows an institutional commitment. It is a commitment to torture. It goes beyond individual misconduct. It's a deliberate dehumanization policy. Commissioner Oliver dismissed investigations. He called them "propaganda." This shows arrogance. Officials know they are protected.

Psychological Profile: A Textbook Psychopath

Stewart's behavior is documented. It shows psychopathic characteristics. Forensic psychologists use these. They identify institutional psychopaths. Such people threaten vulnerable populations. She lacks empathy completely. This was shown by the assault. She attacked an unconscious inmate. This reveals emotional emptiness. She lacks normal human connection. She lacks moral reasoning.

Her manipulative skills are evident, as she successfully hid abusive tendencies. She even reached maximum authority, which shows sophisticated deception. Psychopaths commonly use these skills to infiltrate and corrupt institutions. Furthermore, she was promoted despite litigation, which shows great manipulation. Alternatively, her superiors were complicit, sharing her disregard for welfare.

Her relationship is parasitic: she benefits from protection but provides nothing of value. This clearly shows exploitation. Indeed, psychopathic administrators often infiltrate. Her tenure had rising costs, including legal settlements. Furthermore, federal investigations occurred, and emergency security measures were needed. These costs exceed any administrative benefits she might offer.

Stewart tortured unconscious inmates, then justified her actions. She claimed officer safety, which shows rationalization techniques. Psychopaths maintain their self-image this way, even when they do morally reprehensible acts. Her statement reveals dehumanization: officer safety matters more. This enables systematic cruelty.

Institutional Enabling: The System That Creates Monsters

Stewart's career shows something. Georgia's system is "organizational psychopathy." This culture rewards callousness.

• It protects predators. I
• t dehumanizes inmates.
• It dehumanizes ethical staff.
• Psychopathic traits help career advancement.

Abusive personnel are systematically protected. This follows a clear pattern. Denial is common. Records are falsified. Investigations are obstructed. Problematic staff are promoted. They get greater authority. Federal investigators documented this. Georgia officials gave false information.

• It went to federal investigators.
• It went to state lawmakers.
• It even went to a federal judge.
• This protected abusive staff.

This protection extends beyond Stewart. It includes a network of officials. They disregard human welfare. They ignore constitutional rules. This protection is systematic. I

• it suggests coordination at high levels.
• It is a criminal conspiracy.
• It masquerades as administration.
• It enables maximum harm.

More Dangerous Than the Inmates

This investigation has compiled evidence. It clearly shows Veronica Stewart is a direct threat to anyone under her. In fact, her threat exceeds that of the inmates she oversees. She can torture with deniability, as institutional protection enables her abuse. Therefore, she is far more dangerous.
Inmates committed offenses, and they were sentenced for their crimes. Therefore, their behavior had legal consequences, and society condemned their actions. Conversely, Stewart commits crimes with a badge. However, she is protected by immunity, and her superiors enable her brutality. They see it as dedication, not psychopathy.

She has chemical weapons and administrative authority. Therefore, she controls vulnerable people. Furthermore, institutional protection shields her as she inflicts systematic torture, a scale exceeding other criminals. Tragically, two deaths occurred early in her first two months, clearly showing lethal consequences. Ultimately, this highlights what happens when a psychopath has absolute power over defenseless people.

Conclusion: A Monster in Uniform

Veronica Stewart's promotion triumphed. It was the triumph of institutional evil, and human decency lost. A psychopath became warden, and she now inflicts maximum harm. She targets vulnerable groups, while corrupt superiors protect and praise her actions. Ultimately, human suffering is seen as collateral damage, serving only to further their control.
Her case needs federal intervention, first and foremost, to protect 1,558 inmates. Secondly, it would prevent continued corruption. The institution, after all, abandoned its principles; it ignored constitutional governance and lost all human dignity. Therefore, Stewart's hands have blood, not just from individual victims, but from a systematic reign of terror. Ultimately, the prison has become a monument to institutional cruelty.

Authorities must remove and prosecute her. Civil rights violations happened, and institutional protection, which enables her abuse, must end. Stewart will remain a monster, even though she wears a uniform. Her presence transforms institutions; they become sites of torture and places of degradation. Inmates need protection. The warden is pathological, inflicts suffering, and is more dangerous than any criminal.

References

Federal Documents:

• Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice. Cover Letter for Georgia CRIPA Findings. October 1, 2024.
• Riggs v. Stewart, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Case No. 4:23-cv-00122.
• Arnold v. Telfair State Prison et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Case No. 3:2022cv00069.
• Brinkley v. Oliver et al, Georgia Southern District Court, Case No. 3:24-cv-00032.

News Reports:

• "Prison Violence Soars in Georgia as State Faces Staffing Crisis." Governing. February 18, 2025.
• "Men arrested for trying to smuggle contraband into Washington State Prison." Fox 5 Atlanta. May 13, 2025.
• "Georgia lawmakers seek answers to deaths and violence plaguing the state's prisons." Associated Press. August 29, 2024.
• "For some Georgia correctional officers, inmates are their weapons." Atlanta Journal-Constitution. July 21, 2024.
• "Georgia Department of Corrections wins 2024 Golden Padlock Award." Investigative Reporters and Editors. July 3, 2024.
• "Washington County Sheriff's Office ramps up fight against drone contraband drops." 41NBC. March 14, 2025.
• "Washington State Prison inmate dies, GBI to determine cause of death." WGXA. July 3, 2024.
• "Inmate Found Dead at Washington State Prison." WACO 100FM. August 13, 2024.
• "GBI investigating Washington State Prison inmate shot." 13WMAZ. April 24, 2024.
• "Georgia inmate shot dead after pepper-spraying prison guard in hospital." New York Post. April 25, 2024.
• "Ga. inmate shot to death after grabbing officer's pepper spray at hospital, GBI says." WSB-TV. April 24, 2024.
• "Georgia prison guard kills inmate during hospital fight, GBI says." Atlanta Journal-Constitution. April 24, 2024.
• "A Georgia prison warden was stabbed by an inmate, authorities say." Georgia Public Broadcasting. March 21, 2024.
• "Justice Department finds Georgia is 'deliberately indifferent' to unchecked abuses at its prisons." WTOP. October 1, 2024.

Law Enforcement Sources:

• "Operation Ghost Guard." Federal Bureau of Investigation. May 20, 2016.
• "NC: Officer acted appropriately in pepper-spraying inmate." Corrections1. October 30, 2013.

Social Media Documentation:

• Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia Facebook Posts. July 4-5, 2024.

Academic Sources:

• "Leadership Is the Key to Ethical Practice in Criminal Justice Agencies." Taylor & Francis Online. June 1, 1999.
• "Reproductive healthcare in immigration detention: The imperative of informed consent." PMC. February 23, 2022.
• "Tracking Incarcerated Individual Mortality in Local Jails." PMC. July 1, 2021.
• "Domestic Violence in Atlanta, Georgia Before and During COVID-19." PMC. August 25, 2021.
• "Occupational injuries among U.S. correctional officers, 1999-2008." PMC. July 1, 2012.
• "Torture and Maltreatment in Prison: A Medico-Legal Perspective." PMC. February 1, 2023.
• "Callous and Cruel: Use of Force against Inmates with Mental Disabilities in US Jails and Prisons." Human Rights Watch. May 12, 2015.
• "Psychopathy: An Important Forensic Concept for the 21st Century." FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. September 26, 2017.
• "Psychopathy in Jail Settings." Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. October 2020.
• "Shocking Video from Maine Prison Shows a Restrained Prisoner Being Tortured with Pepper Spray." ACLU. April 19, 2023.