EIGHT CHARGED IN PRISON BRAWL INMATES INDICTED IN FIGHT THAT HURT GUARDS.Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer LANCASTER -- Eight inmates from the Lancaster prison have been indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. on charges stemming from an altercation last year in a prison yard between correctional officers and about 20 inmates. Prosecutors said they decided to present the case in a secret proceeding before a grand jury rather than go through a standard preliminary hearing to move the case more quickly. ``It's simpler and quicker when you've got that many defendants and defense attorneys,'' Deputy District Attorney Guy Shirley said. The eight inmates at California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). State Prison-Los Angeles County are charged with battery on a nonconfined person by a prisoner. Six guards are the alleged victims in the April 14 brawl brawl n. 1. A noisy quarrel or fight. 2. A loud party. 3. A loud, roaring noise. intr.v. brawled, brawl·ing, brawls 1. To quarrel or fight noisily. 2. . ``Eight were identified. It was a fairly chaotic situation,'' Shirley said. ``Inmates had to be pepper-sprayed. It was put down fairly quickly.'' There were injuries to guards and inmates, but none was severe, Shirley said. The defendants are Juan Thornton, 31; Justin Jackson, 36; Kenneth Watson, 36; Roderick Lipsey, 32; William Rainer, 48; Billy R. Gray, 24; James Hampton, 38; and Paul Roger Jackson Roger C. Jackson (born on January 14, 1942 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian academic and Olympic gold medalist rower. He won the only gold medal for Canada at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Rowing (pairs) with George Hungerford. , 30. They have all pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. A grand jury was convened in early January to hear evidence presented by Shirley. The defendants and their attorneys were not present. ``We do what's similar to a preliminary hearing in front of the grand jury. We present evidence, the grand jury gets to ask questions, you submit a proposed indictment indictment (ĭndīt`mənt), in criminal law, formal written accusation naming specific persons and crimes. Persons suspected of crime may be rendered liable to trial by indictment, by presentment, or by information. . They accepted it as we proposed,'' Shirley said. ``We have an obligation to present any exculpatory evidence Exculpatory evidence is the evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial, which clears or tends to clear the defendant of guilt. In many countries such as the United States, if the police or prosecutor has found such evidence, he/she must disclose it to the defendant. to the grand jury.'' The indictment was unsealed Jan. 16. karen.maeshiro@dailynews.com (661) 267-5744 |
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