Massachusetts corrections officer on life support from brutal inmate attack making miraculous recovery

A Massachusetts corrections officer that was on life support after a brutal attack by an inmate has made a miraculous recovery.

According to State Representative Steve Xiarhos, Matthew Tidman’s recovery is nothing short of incredible.

“After nearly being beaten to death by an inmate in a State Prison Fitness Center armed with a free weight, Massachusetts Corrections Officer Matt Tidman has made a miraculous recovery!! ‘Miracle Matt’ is out of his coma and walking and talking!!! INCREDIBLE NEWS! Still a long road ahead, but we are all deeply thankful for everyone’s steadfast Love, Thoughts, and Prayers!! LETS GOOOOOOOOO MIGHTY MATT!!!”

Photo courtesy of State Representative Steve Xiarhos

Late last month, Roy Booth, 40, was charged with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and mayhem in connection with the attack at Massachusetts Corrections Institution-Shirley.

The preliminary investigation suggests that shortly after 2:00 p.m. on August 31, 2022, the defendant was in the recreation facility in the medium security area at MCI – Shirley when he took a metal pole, that weighed between 10-15 pounds, and attacked Officer Tidman, who was monitoring the inmates, striking him multiple times.

Tidman’s fellow corrections officers restrained Booth after the attack and provided aid to Officer Tidman who was transported by Medical Flight to Lahey Hospital. Booth was immediately transferred to protective custody at MCI-Souza Baranowski, a facility adjacent to MCI-Shirley.

As part of the investigation into this incident the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office obtained video of the incident and conducted interviews at the facility. The subsequent investigation revealed that Booth allegedly unscrewed the object used to strike Officer Tidman, which had been part of a weight-lifting apparatus, and concealed it as he approached and then attacked.

Booth is presently serving a Life sentence for murder out of Virginia. He had been transferred to Massachusetts in March 2021 to serve his sentence as part of the Interstate Corrections Compact, in which, in certain circumstances, inmates are transferred between states.