California IN BRIEF : RIVERSIDE : 8 Inmates, 7 Officers Injured in Brawl

An attempt to remove a troublesome inmate from a section of the Riverside County Jail led to a brawl that injured eight inmates and seven sheriff’s deputies, authorities said. One inmate suffered a broken hand and finger. Another required several stitches to close a head wound, authorities said Friday. All of the injured were treated at hospitals for minor injuries and released. Deputies were trying to remove an inmate believed to be intimidating other prisoners, said Lt. Mike Moreland. “He refused,” Moreland said. Inmates stacked mattresses against cell walls and fashioned crude weapons in anticipation of a fight with the deputies, Moreland said. One inmate surrendered, but the rest refused to negotiate, Moreland said. Twenty deputies arrived to secure the wing and the brawl erupted. Several inmates were transferred to high-security sections and jailers instituted a lock down.