Convictions of guards voided
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A federal judge has overturned the jury conviction of three correctional officers accused of abusing inmates at the state prison.
U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real ruled Monday that jurors erred last month when they convicted Robert McGowan, 38, Thomas Ramos, 51, and Hector Flores, 39, of civil rights violations and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The case grew out of a May 9, 2002, melee at the prison. Several prisoners were shackled, placed in a van and sent to another unit of the prison.
According to testimony, McGowan yanked two prisoners from the vehicle after it arrived at the unit and let them fall to the ground head-first. Both suffered minor injuries.
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