18 inmates indicted in deadly Delaware prison siege
WILMINGTON, Del. — Delaware prosecutors indicted 18 prisoners for the February takeover of a state prison — an 18-hour siege that resulted in the death of a Department of Corrections officer.
The indictments were filed Monday by a New Castle County, Del., grand jury, according to a statement from the Delaware Department of Justice. They were announced Tuesday. Sixteen of the individuals face first-degree murder charges.
"This was an extremely important and time-consuming investigation that involved unique challenges," Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn said in the statement. "I appreciate the police and prosecutors' focus on ensuring that justice is done for the victims."
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The standoff at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna, Del., started the morning of Feb. 1, when inmates took control of a building and held officers, a counselor and possibly other prisoners hostage.
It lasted into the early hours of the next day when authorities crashed through a wall of the building. There, they found the body of Lt. Steven Floyd, who had been one of the captives. The others had been released.
All of the roughly 120 inmates who were in the building when the standoff commenced initially were considered to be suspects, investigators had said.
The 18 defendants are all currently incarcerated in Delaware correctional facilities and have been since Feb. 2, according to authorities.
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The state Justice Department in its statement said neither police nor prosecutors will comment further about the indictments at this time.
The 16 individuals face charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy and a rioting charge. The other two are charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy and a riot charge.
Eleven of the 18 are currently serving time on murder or manslaughter convictions.
Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Karl Baker and Esteban Parra on Twitter: @kbaker6 and @eparra3
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