Fuquan Alexander pleaded guilty to beating a corrections officer two years ago and now faces an additional 10 years in prison
TRENTON - A New Jersey State Prison inmate has admitted to attacking a corrections officer and trying to beat her to death in plea deal that calls for 10 years to be added to his current 40 year state prison sentence, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Fuquan Alexander (New Jersey Department of Corrections) Fuquan Alexander, 31, pleaded guilty to second-degree aggravated assault Monday for brutally beating a female corrections officer two years ago.
The assault put corrections officer Elegia Then in the hospital for weeks with brain damage.
Alexander was initially indicted in 2014 on charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault. He faces a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to the assault charge, Mercer County prosecutors said.
Alexander was serving a 40-year prison at the Trenton prison for robbery and kidnapping.
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Then has said she was letting inmates out of their cells to shower when Alexander attacked her. She has said she was hit and choked. Another inmate pushed the riot alarm and officers were able to rescue Then.
She stayed in the hospital for weeks, suffering from brain damage as a result of the attack. Alexander was moved to Northern State Prison in Newark following the assault.
The 10 years he's facing after pleading guilty to the assault will run consecutively to his kidnapping and robbery sentence, prosecutors said. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 28.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.