Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 26 May 2017
Unusual attack injures 8 California guards, 7 inmates 3 prison officers
charged with sex
Premeditated or not, the abuse of inmates
mass attack was unusual.
Ninety-seven inmates were By LARRY NEUMEISTER
isolated in disciplinary hous- Associated Press
ing units after the assault NEW YORK (AP) — A fed-
because they are believed eral prison guard supervi-
to have participated. “I sor charged with repeat-
can’t recall an incident like edly raping a female in-
this where so many inmates mate who he knew spoke
just swarmed our staff like little English and would be
that, I really can’t,” said turned over to immigra-
Thornton, who has been
with the department for tion authorities was among
nearly 20 years. “Believe it three guards arrested
or not, staff assaults of vary- Thursday in a prison sexual
ing degrees happen every abuse scandal, authorities
day. But oftentimes it’s just said.
someone being resistant.” Carlos Richard Martinez,
Large-scale fights among 47, of Brooklyn, a U.S. Bu-
inmates are not uncom- reau of Prisons lieutenant,
mon, but frequently leave could face life in prison if
employees untouched. he is convicted of com-
Individual correctional offi- mitting sexual attacks from
In this 2011 photo, correctional officers keep watch on inmates in the recreation yard at Peli- December 2015 to April
can Bay State Prison near Crescent City, Calif. Officials say several California prison guards and cers are sometimes target- 2016 at the Metropolitan
inmates were taken to hospitals after a fight between two inmates quickly raged out of control ed for assaults, including
Wednesday, May 24, 2017. being “gassed” with a nox- Detention Center in Brook-
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) ious mix of urine and feces. lyn, according to court
“The fact of the matter is, papers filed by Acting U.S.
By DON THOMPSON mates when they were Five of the seven injured people take a risk when Attorney Bridget M. Rohde.
Associated Press swarmed by other felons in inmates suffered gun- they work at a prison,” Lt. Eugenio Perez, 46, of
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) an exercise yard teeming shot wounds at the prison, Thornton said. “They’re fully Brooklyn, is another prison
— In a brawl that officials with several hundred high- which houses about 2,000 aware of that risk and they supervisor who authorities
say was extreme even by security inmates. inmates near the Oregon take it willingly and they said sexually abused five
the violent standard of Cal- “They just ran toward the border. Four were admit- behave very professionally women over three years.
ifornia prisons, correctional incident from several ar- ted, including one who and very humanely over- He also faces up to life in
officers had to open fire eas of the yard and just was airlifted to a different all.” prison if convicted.
to stop a melee that sent rushed the officers,” said hospital for a higher level Such attacks may become “By using their authority
eight guards and seven in- Terry Thornton, a spokes- of care. Three were dis- and power to prey upon
mates to hospitals. woman for the California charged back to prison. more common, said Nichol and abuse female inmates
Pelican Bay State Prison Department of Correc- Investigators are trying to Gomez, a spokeswoman in their care, these defen-
guards in three gun tow- tions and Rehabilitation. determine if the widespread for the California Correc- dants violated their oaths
ers fired 19 rifle bullets and “They overwhelmed them. attack was planned. Two tional Peace Officers As- of public service as well as
three hard foam rounds Overwhelmed is the word inmate-made weapons sociation, the union repre- numerous criminal laws,”
to stop large groups of I heard again and again.” were found at the scene, senting most prison guards. Rohde said in a release.
prisoners from attacking The eight guards were but Thornton said they ap- “We are concerned that As lieutenants, Martinez
other correctional officers treated at hospitals and peared to be makeshift this type of activity will in- and Perez were responsible
Wednesday. released, though one will weapons that inmates crease as the state contin- for supervising other cor-
The guards had been had have to have shoulder sur- seized during the fight and ues to ignore negative in- rectional officers, including
been using pepper spray gery. All eight had facial officials did not yet know if mate behavior for the sake identifying and deterring
and batons to break up a injuries, bumps, bruises and they were used on the of- of monetary savings,” Go- staff sexual abuse and sex-
fistfight between two in- contusions, Thornton said. ficers. mez said in a statement.q
ual harassment, prosecu-
tors wrote in court papers
Report: seeking to have them de-

Tank that exploded needed emergency repairs tained without bail pend-
ing trial. They also had su-
pervisory and disciplinary
By JIM SALTER of its investigation into the a month later recommend- scheduled to arrive the authority over inmates.
Associated Press horrifying April 3 explosion ed the replacement of low- following Monday after- It was not immediately
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A giant at Loy-Lange Box Co. that er portions of the tank. noon, April 3. “On Monday, clear who would repre-
steam-filled tank weighing left four people dead. The The tank parts were never despite the leak and the sent Martinez and Perez in
nearly 2,000 pounds (900 blast propelled the tank replaced, investigators pending technician visit, Brooklyn federal court.
kilograms) that exploded through Loy-Lange’s roof said. They also found no Loy-Lange started up the Armando Moronta, 39, of
at a St. Louis box plant, flew and into the offices of Fault- evidence that the city ever steam generation system,” Brooklyn, another prison
a quarter-mile into the air less Healthcare Linen. inspected the tank. A city the agency’s report said. “ guard, was arrested on
and smashed into a neigh- The steam condensation official said the tank was ... it appears that the cata- sexual abuse charges re-
boring building, was be- tank, used in the process of frequently inspected. strophic failure occurred lated to alleged attacks
ing used despite needing making corrugated pack- Engineers again noticed a near the end of the startup on three female inmates
emergency repairs, federal aging products, first sprung leak on March 31 this year, process.” The failure was between May and June of
investigators said Thursday. a leak in November 2012. a Friday, the report said. caused by corrosion of a 2016. A lawyer for Moronta
The U.S. Chemical Safety The federal report said a The steam generation sys- 6-inch (15-centimeter) ring did not immediately re-
and Hazard Investigation contractor made emer- tem was shut down and that was part of the tank, spond to a message seek-
Board released findings gency repairs and less than a repair technician was investigators said.q ing comment.q