PRISONERS' KIN PICKET COURTHOUSE.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

Members of a support group for families of prisoners picketed Thursday outside the Antelope Valley Courthouse to protest the treatment of prisoners in Lancaster.

Members of Family Net also gathered to criticize the California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster for pursuing a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a peace officer against Robin Burton, a Ventura woman accused during a Dec. 1 visit with her husband.

While Burton was in court, Family Net members picketed with signs that read ``Fairness for Families,'' ``Stop Frivolous Lawsuit'' and ``Stop Corrupt Guards.'' They played a tambourine and yelled, ``Stop the abuse, stop the lies,'' as they walked around in a small circle.

Burton claims she and her husband, Anthony Burton, were mistreated by guards who first delayed the family meeting, then terminated it when the couple complained. She further alleges that she tried to say goodbye to her husband, at which point she was accused of pushing a guard. At that point, Burton said, her husband was beaten behind closed doors.

Prison officials counter that Burton got between a correctional officer and her husband during a visit and then pushed the officer. Anthony Burton was not beaten, prison officials said.

``He had been put in restraints,'' said Lynn Harrison, a prison spokeswoman. ``Immediately afterwards he was medically evaluated by medical personnel and there were no injuries noted.''

During an in-house hearing, Anthony Burton was found guilty of assaulting a peace officer and sent to administrative segregation. On March 4, he was transferred to the state prison in Corcoran, where he is being housed under higher security than he was in Lancaster.

Nevertheless, Family Net has collected affidavits from eight witnesses - prisoners and prisoners' wives - who said they saw or heard evidence that Anthony Burton was beaten.

Genny Allendre, 38, of Lancaster says her husband was involved in a similar incident in January that resulted in their visiting rights being suspended for 30 days.

``I was not allowed to tell my side of the story,'' she added. ``I was not allowed to speak.''

After taking a day off work as a secretary for a temporary agency and waiting in court for more than five hours, Burton's case was continued to April 21.

``I'm angry,'' she said.

Burton said she has been unable to obtain a videotape from the visiting room cameras the day of the incident. Prison guards said she subpoenaed the wrong person and must resubmit her subpoena.

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Photo

Photo: (Color) Robin Burton protests at the Antelope Valley Courthouse on Thursday with sons Gabe Scott, 14, and Christopher Scott, 17. Her husband is an inmate at the state prison.

David R. Crane/Daily News