Nevada prison guards ‘force’ inmates into gladiator-style brawl, then shoot 1 dead, wound another
Guards at a maximum-security prison allegedly staged a gladiator-like fight between two handcuffed inmates before a corrections officer shot and killed one of the participants and wounded the other.
Carlos Manuel Perez Jr, 28, and Andrew Jay Arevalo, 24, were
instigated by prison guards to fight each other inside High
Desert State Prison on November 12 of last year, according to a
lawsuit.
Attorney Cal Potter, representing the Perez family, said prison
guards had allowed the two men, who had been assigned to
administrative segregation (ad seg) for their own safety, to meet
in a hallway of the facility, thereby making a fight inevitable.
"Officers know they will see a fight if they release ad seg
inmates that are supposed to be in walk-alone status," he
told the Associated Press.
"Defendants ... refused to intervene. On the contrary (they)
created a gladiator-like scenario and allowed the inmates to
fight."
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After the fight ensued, a trainee corrections officer fired four
blasts from his shotgun, which killed Perez and left Arevalo
wounded, according to the lawsuit, which alleges excessive force;
wrongful death; indifference to Perez's emergency medical needs;
poor training and supervision; and intentional infliction of
emotional distress.
The Clark County coroner ruled Perez’s death a homicide, after
determining he died of gunshot wounds to the head, neck, chest
and arms.
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $30,000 for damages.
Perez, a two-time felon, was serving 18 months to four years for
attacking a man with a two-by-four piece of lumber in Las Vegas
in 2012, while Arevalo had been sentenced to six years on
burglary charges.
Arevalo survived his gun wounds, despite being struck in the
face. His lawyer plans to file a lawsuit as well.
Attorney General Adam Laxalt's spokeswoman, Patty Cafferata, said
the attorney general was examining the report, which was received
on March 25, AP reported.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval spoke out on the incident, saying
local, county and state officials had carried out an
investigation into the shooting, and that the attorney general
would advise appropriate action.
Three accused corrections officers are on paid leave pending a
decision by the attorney general.
