FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CR

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1998                                                                                                (202) 616-2777

                                                                                                                                                              TDD (202) 514-1888




EIGHT OFFICERS INDICTED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS


AT CORCORAN STATE PRISON IN CALIFORNIA





	WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Eight California correctional officers
and supervisors have been indicted on federal criminal civil
rights charges in connection with inmate fights that occurred at
Corcoran State Prison in 1994, the Justice Department announced
today.

	The nine-count indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District
Court in Fresno, charges two sergeants, one lieutenant, and five
officers employed by the California Department of Corrections
with conspiring to deprive inmates of their civil rights under
color of law.  One officer is also charged with perjury. 

	Also today, an indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn charging
five police officers with criminal civil rights violations and
related charges stemming from the arrests of Abner Louima and
Patrick Antoine last August.  The Brooklyn indictment alleged
that four officers beat Louima while he was handcuffed in a
police car.  It also alleged that two of the officers sexually
assaulted Louima while he was in a bathroom at the police station
by "shoving a wooden stick into his rectum and mouth."  

	"The vast majority of law enforcement officers across the
country are hard-working professionals dedicated to protecting
the public," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney
General for Civil Rights.  "But we will not hesitate to prosecute
officers who use their authority to hurt others intentionally." 
	  	According to the Fresno indictment, the defendants all
worked in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Corcoran State
Prison.  Inmates being disciplined for prison conduct violations
are held in the SHU.  Many of those inmates are members of rival
prison gangs or factions. 

	"The law gave these individuals the power to protect,  but
they used it to torment," said U.S. Attorney Paul Seave in
Sacramento.  "These defendants used their authority to sponsor
blood sport. In the process, they violated the civil rights of
individuals and abused their power and public trust." 

	The indictment specifies that on February 23, 1994, four of
the defendants (Jennings, Gipson, Dickerson, and Taverez)
purposely released an African-American inmate into the prison
yard with two Southern Mexican inmates from a rival faction. The
defendants allegedly provoked the Southern Mexican inmates by
telling them that they should keep the fights "one-on-one," and
if they allowed other inmates to participate in the fights, they
risked being shot by the officers.  The defendants then watched
the fight without acting to prevent it.  Afterwards, they
falsified a written report to cover up the fact that they had
intentionally staged the fight, according to the indictment.  

	The indictment also states that on April 2, 1994, four
defendants (Martin, Vaughn, Bethea, and Arvizu) placed two
African-American inmates into the yard with members of the
Southern Mexican faction, even though guards were aware that
there were "problems" likely to occur between inmates.  Sergeant
John Vaughn assigned Officer Christopher Bethea to the yard gun
position, where Bethea took possession of a 37 millimeter weapon
that shoots wooden blocks and a 9 millimeter rifle to use, if
needed, to quell problems in the exercise yard.  

	Sergeant Vaughn then told Officer Mary Farquar that a fight
was expected and to come with him to the control booth, where she
was assigned to operate the sallyport doors that let inmates into
the exercise yard.  A defendant in the control booth stated,
"It's going to be duck hunting season."  

	Once in the yard, the two members of the Southern Mexican
faction violently attacked the other inmates, as anticipated.
They fought for a brief time.  Officer Bethea then allegedly
fired two shots at the inmates--one from the 37 millimeter
weapon, and one from the 9 millimeter rifle--which hit Preston
Tate in the head and killed him.  

	 Following the shooting, the four officers involved
allegedly prepared false and misleading written reports designed
to cover up the fact that they had encouraged the inmates to
fight, knew the fight would occur, and intentionally failed to
act to protect the inmates from one another, according to the
indictment.  

	 "As stated in the indictment, the defendants sent inmates
from rival groups into the exercise yard together, knowing that a
fight would be the likely result," said FBI Special Agent in
Charge James Maddock. "It appears the fights were staged, and
even provoked, for the amusement of correctional officers or as
retribution against inmates.  That this activity could be allowed
to occur, and did occur, with the knowledge and participation of
prison management personnel is particularly troubling." 	

	Additionally, Officer Taverez is charged with lying to the
grand jury when he denied ever viewing an inmate fight while
working at the prison. 

	Each conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of ten years
in prison and a fine of $250,000.  Each count of deprivation of
civil rights under color of law carries a maximum prison sentence
of ten years and a $250,000 fine, unless death results, which
could result in a life sentence.  Perjury carries a five-year
maximum sentence, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.

	The case was investigated by the Fresno Resident Agency of
the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in
Fresno and the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division.   

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