By T.J. Wilham
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A correctional officer and three inmates were indicted Tuesday in connection with a racially fueled beating of another inmate, according to police and court records.
Correctional officer Juan Ramirez, 29, and inmates Robert Grado, 21, Luis Garcia, 22, and George Milanez, 25, were all charged with false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in the November attack at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Ramirez faces additional charges of criminal solicitation and bribery of a witness. The inmates also were charged with aggravated battery.
The battered inmate, Avery Hadley, 47, was attacked four months later in a similar incident that involved a different correctional officer. Hadley nearly died from the attack. The correctional officer involved in that incident, Roslyn Juanico, was indicted in April on attempted murder charges.
Hadley’s sister, Nancy, who has been taking care of her wheelchair-bound brother, said she got “chills” when she learned of the recent indictments.
“I thought they were going to forget about the first one,” she said. “We always asked about (it), but we never saw any indictments or anything. I am so pleased right now that I got the chills.”
According to police reports, Hadley was in a segregation cell in November when Ramirez pressed a button that opened Hadley’s door.
Grado, Garcia and Milanez then entered the cell and beat Hadley. A minute later, Ramirez approached the cell door and shined a flashlight into the cell to tell the other inmates to stop and leave, according to police reports.
The incident was caught on tape.
When sheriff’s deputies interviewed Hadley, he told investigators that Ramirez was angry at him and had shouted racial slurs at him earlier in the day, according to police reports. Hadley is black.
Ramirez admitted to investigators that he allowed the other inmates out of their cells to beat Hadley, according to police reports.
Ramirez, who is Hispanic, claimed Hadley had upset other inmates by shouting racial slurs at him and Hispanic inmates. Ramirez said the inmates begged him to let them out so they could “take care” of Hadley, according to police reports.
Ramirez did so, telling inmates beforehand, “When I say it’s done, it’s done,” according to police reports. Ramirez did not offer help to Hadley after the beating and left the jail when his shift ended without reporting the incident, according to police reports.
Four months later, Hadley was hospitalized again after a similar jail attack March 12. Doctors gave Hadley little chance to survive, but family members said he has made a “miracle” recovery. Although he moved in with his sister about three weeks ago, Hadley needs care nearly 24 hours a day.
Copyright 2009 Albuquerque Journal