Massachusetts inmates accused of ‘vicious attack’ on correction officers face ‘sea of blue’ at arraignment

The three inmates accused of ambushing correction officers in a “vicious attack,” together with stabbing one guard 12 occasions, confronted a “sea of blue” of officers throughout their arraignment on Thursday.

That “sea of blue” of fifty officers from the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union featured the injured officers from the September assault on the most safety Souza-Baranowski Correctional Heart.

The three inmates — Jose Crespo, Jeffrey Tapia, and Heriberto Rivera-Negron — all pleaded not responsible throughout Thursday’s arraignment in Worcester Superior Court docket.

They’re accused of attacking the correction officers with home made “shiv” weapons on the max-security jail on Sept. 18. At round 6:20 p.m. that day, the Massachusetts Division of Correction obtained a report of a number of correction officers being injured contained in the jail.

Two officers had been doing their hourly rounds once they have been attacked from behind by inmates. One of many guards was stabbed 12 occasions, and the opposite guard was stabbed within the again and the top.

In all, 5 officers have been injured: two affected by stab wounds and three extra injured whereas responding to the fracas.

The three inmates have been charged with mayhem, armed assault to homicide, and assault to homicide following September’s assault.

Dennis Martin, president of the correction officers’ union MCOFU, referred to as it a “vicious attack” — and burdened that the union had been warning about an uptick in weapons in prisons, and predicted such a brutal assault.

“Our continued thoughts and prayers are with the officers and their families who are affected by these heinous and senseless acts of violence,” Martin stated exterior the Worcester courthouse on Thursday, as dozens of officers stood subsequent to him and behind him in solidarity with the officers “on the road to recovery.”

“These officers put themselves in harm’s way each and every day inside these dangerous prison walls,” he added. “We as a union, as a community, and as a state must work to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our correction officers now and in the future, and today is a step in the right direction toward achieving that goal.”

Martin referred to as for extra lockdowns and complete searches to be finished regularly inside state prisons.

The video from September’s assault reveals a correction officer getting attacked from behind by an inmate who was seen ready by a cell.

The inmate then takes a number of swings on the officer with an obvious “shiv” earlier than they tumble to the bottom. In the meantime, one other inmate joins in on the assault.

Then a second correction officer runs it to assist his colleague. The 2 inmates and two officers are seen wrestling on the bottom earlier than a 3rd officer runs in. Then a 3rd inmate joins the fracas.

A number of officers then reply to comprise the inmate assault.

Following the assault, DOC despatched in “specialized tactical units” to seek out weapons contained in the jail. The officer union has been persevering with to name for extra searches of cells to confiscate shivs and medicines.