By C1 Staff
JACKSON, Miss. — A Central Mississippi Correctional Facility inmate was sentenced to life after pleading guilty in the 2013 gang murder of another inmate.
The Clarion-Ledger reports that Tyler James Smith was convicted of the murder of Clifton Majors, who was targeted by the Simon City Royals after cooperating with authorities in the 2010 investigation of another gang killing.
Though Smith was known as a violent member of the gang, he was placed in the same zone with Majors, who was supposed to be in protective custody.
Smith somehow ended up on the cleanup crew the night of Sept. 1, 2013, despite 78 pages of violations including violence against corrections officers and other inmates.
He obtained latex gloves from a tower officer, according to a video, and also told authorities that he got the gloves so he wouldn’t get blood on his hands.
The video later shows Smith returning to the tower officer, celebrating his kill and flashing a hand sign at the camera.
Another inmate told investigators that a tower officer opened a cell door, allowing Smith access to choke and stomp Majors to death.
Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps denies that any officer played a role in the killing.