THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240082
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: POWHATAN, VA. LENGTH: 25 lines
A Powhatan Correctional Center guard fired rubber pellets at three inmates who were beating another prisoner, marking the first use of that type of weapon in a Virginia prison.
In the past, Virginia prison guards had only tear gas grenades loaded into 37mm launchers. However, six months ago officers at Powhatan also were given a shell called a ``stinger. Inside are 40 one-quarter-inch compressed rubber pellets.
Authorities said the incident took place about 11 a.m. Friday in the exercise yard of M Building.
The three pursuers had the inmate on the ground and were kicking him when the officer fired one stinger round and hit all four, Corrections spokesman David Botkins said. They were not injured, he said.
The inmate who was being attacked was taken to the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, where he was treated for facial lacerations and a broken bone near his left eye. by CNB