Former Philadelphia Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Violating Inmates’ Civil Rights, Falsifying Use-of-Force Reports

PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christopher Knight, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond on five counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights under color of law and two counts of falsifying records.

The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, while working as a prison guard at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, Knight pepper-sprayed five subdued victims in a matter of months.

On January 8, 2023, Knight blasted his first victim with pepper spray while the victim was lying face down on the ground with his hands behind his back. Knight then continued to spray the victim, striking him during the handcuffing process and after he was handcuffed.

Two days later, Knight pepper-sprayed another handcuffed victim while the victim was being escorted down a hallway by another guard. Later that day, Knight struck his third victim with spray while the victim was returning to his cell, and Knight continued to pepper-spray this victim after he was handcuffed.

On March 20, 2023, Knight attacked his fourth victim, blasting the victim with spray while the victim was writing on a piece of paper and not posing a threat. Knight continued to spray this victim while he was lying on the ground in pain. Then, on March 24, 2023, Knight attacked his fifth victim, striking the victim with spray, even though he was lying face down on the ground.

Knight falsified multiple use-of-force reports by knowingly omitting key details of his attacks when describing his own actions.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 90 years' imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Priya DeSouza and Michael Miller.