The News Journal
08/04/2006
State police are investigating and alleged assault of a state Department of Correction inmate who was apparently attacked and beaten earlier this week by four other inmates.
Police released the report detailing the Aug. 1 attack this afternoon.
Agency spokeswoman Cpl. Jaime Dorsey-Sterner said the unidentified 48-year-old inmate was attacked about noon Tuesday by four prisoners in the medium security building of the Sussex Correctional Institution, where they used their hands, a broom and a shank during the assault.
The victim was taken to Beebe Medical Center where he was treated for a broken nose, fractured eye, lacerations to his back, as well as cuts and bruises to his head and body.
He was released from the hospital the same day and returned to the prison facility, Dorsey-Sterner said.
The assault victim is serving a 21 year sentence as a habitual offender on convictions of third-degree assault, terroristic threatening, civil contempt, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.
No charges have been filed pending the outcome of the investigation.
State police spokeswoman Sgt. Melissa Zebley said the information was not released in a more timely fashion because the severity of the inmate’s injuries were not immediately known.
In April, an inmate at the Delaware Correctional Center died of injuries following a beating by his cellmate in the medium-maximum security unit. Authorities never disclosed a motive for the killing.
Gary L. Stuart, 25, of Georgetown, was indicted in June on first-degree murder in the April 21 death of 57-year-old Stephen F. Pytko, of Wilmington.
Contact Terri Sanginiti at 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com
