Bronx DA: 15 Rikers Island Inmates Indicted In Beating Of Correction Captain
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- More than a dozen Rikers Island inmates have been indicted in connection with an assault of a correction captain last month in what the Bronx District Attorney called "a coordinated attack."
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced the indictments Thursday of the 15 inmates in the beating of Correction Captain Awais Ghauri.
She said the inmates were retaliating for an incident that happened in early November.
"Defendant Jason Reid, a member of the Bloods gang, threatened to cut Captain Ghauri after the captain used pepper spray on inmates to diffuse an inmate altercation," Clark said.
Then on Thanksgiving Day, Clark said surveillance video shows Reid gathering 14 other inmates in a circle.
"Approximately 90 minutes later when Captain Ghauri entered the area, surveillance video shows Reid leading the attack on him," she said.
Ghauri was hit from behind, knocked to the floor and repeatedly punched, according to Clark, before another correction officer intervened.
"She fought off inmates and, you know, she came to the aid of the captain," Clark said.
The district attorney called the incident part of "a chilling picture of the society of violence on Rikers Island, with gang members who think they control the jails."
"Let me clear: The inmates do not run the jails," she said.
While Ghauri was being pummeled, two other captains ran off, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported. They've been suspended pending an investigation.
The captain is now recovering from his injuries, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
The inmates are facing robbery and gang assault charges and could get up to 25 years behind bars if convicted.
Meanwhile, sources tell 1010 WINS that two members of the correction service were suspended in connection with the assault. The investigation continued late Thursday.
