Near-Fatal Beating of Inmate in Yard at Corcoran Triggers Probe

California’s corrections chief said Thursday that he has launched an investigation into the near-death of an inmate at Corcoran State Prison that occurred after a guard left his post in a high-security exercise yard and two inmates then repeatedly kicked and pummeled the rival.

The attack last week, which one corrections official called the “worst beating ever” at the prison, left inmate Donald Moll, 27, in critical condition at a Bakersfield hospital and investigators questioning why the supervising guard vacated his gun post for nearly five minutes.

Cal Terhune, director of corrections, said a special investigation into the beating is underway to determine if the officer mistakenly left his post unmanned or if he knew a fight was about to occur and looked the other way.

“This is a serious one and we want to make absolutely sure we have all the correct facts before we reach any judgment on the appropriate action,” Terhune said. “In our business, a small mistake can have grave consequences. Inmates will take advantage if they see any opportunity.”

The attack took place just two days before control booth officers in the same Security Housing Unit apparently did not notice that three inmates had rushed into the most protected section of the prison. The intruders struck mass murderer Juan Corona and smashed a guitar belonging to Charles Manson--the latest in a string of security breaches inside the troubled San Joaquin Valley prison.

The March 11 attack on Moll took place inside a small exercise yard filled with violent prisoners. The assault continued for so long that the two assailants had enough time to take two breaks to catch their breath, walk over to an outdoor shower, wash blood off their hands and shoes, and then resume the attack, according to a prison incident report obtained by The Times.

When gun post Officer Jason Thomas returned and reacted to the beating--about three to five minutes into the assault--he fired two rounds of woodblocks from a gas gun, which halted the attack, the report states. The beating was captured on video by a camera affixed above the exercise yard.

Corcoran’s Security Housing Unit, which holds many of the prison system’s most violent or troublesome inmates, is where 50 prisoners were wounded or killed by guards firing assault rifles to stop fights between 1989 and 1995.

State audits over the past year have shown a number of security lapses that have led to dangerous situations inside the unit. In December, a control booth operator went on a food run and was replaced by an inexperienced officer.

The replacement then allowed a gang member to return to a cell that wasn’t his. The inmate teamed up with a fellow gang member in the cell to beat up a third inmate. The bloodied and unconscious victim was discovered two hours later when a relative came to visit him.

Last week’s incident took place shortly after noon in an exercise yard with 17 inmates. According to the official report, inmates Richard Barnfield, 21, and Thomas Spiller, 25, confronted Moll near the back of the concrete yard and, without provocation, began striking him with clenched fists.

Moll, who is from Los Angeles, fought back but was knocked to the ground. He tried to cover his head and crawl away but the assailants continued pummeling him until he was unconscious, the report states. Standing on opposite sides with Moll lying motionless in the middle, the inmates took turns kicking him in the head and body, according to the report.

“Following a volley of kicks by both inmates, each retreated from the attack and joined together in the yard shower,” the report states. “Inmate Barnfield then resumed his attack by walking back to the motionless body of inmate Moll and again kicking the head.”

The report said Officer Thomas was “apparently unaware that the attack had already reached its pinnacle” when he activated the unit alarm and shouted for the inmates to stop. The inmates continued to kick at Moll until Thomas fired two rounds from the gas gun.

“Our internal investigators are down in Corcoran today to try to come up with the facts,” corrections spokesman Tipton Kindel said Thursday. “It’s really too early to say much more than that.”

Thomas has been placed on administrative leave during the inquiry. The Kings County district attorney’s office is weighing attempted murder charges against the two inmates. A hospital spokeswoman declined to provide an update on the condition of Moll, who is serving time on a weapons conviction, citing his inmate status.