Woman Tortured To Death By Jailers While Restrained — Prosecutor Won't Bring Charges: 'Tragic Accident'

Prosecutor claims that torturers were trying to be nice  while they tortured their hooded victim to death

Natasha McKenna's graduation photo.
(Courtesy of Natasha McKenna's family)

By Matthew Barakat
Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh said Tuesday he will not bring criminal charges against jail deputies who used a Taser on a partially restrained inmate who later died, calling the death a "tragic accident."

RELATED STORY: Woman Tasered to Death by Deputies While She was Cuffed, Shackled, and Masked

In a 51-page report, Morrogh concluded that deputies acted appropriately in their efforts to restrain 37-year-old Natasha McKenna during a cell transfer in February. He had been evaluating whether to bring charges for the past two months.

McKenna, who was African-American, lost consciousness at the conclusion of the Feb. 3 incident, and was declared brain dead four days later.

A team of five deputies used a hood called a "spit sock" and eventually fired four Taser shots at McKenna during a 20-minute struggle to get her restrained for a transfer to the Alexandria jail, about 9 miles south of Arlington.

Deputies told Morrogh in the report that the 181-pound McKenna was the most difficult inmate they had ever encountered, that she possessed what they described as superhuman strength during the struggles. One inmate said the growls McKenna made during a prior struggle were comparable to a demonic possession.

"There is no evidence that any of the deputies acted maliciously, sadistically or with the intent to punish or cause harm to Ms. McKenna at any point in the struggle. To the contrary, they did their best, under very difficult circumstances, to restrain, control and prevent Ms. McKenna from injuring herself or others," Morrogh wrote in the report.

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