Three Sentenced for Roles in 2017 Vaughn Correctional Center Riot
New Castle County Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. on Friday sentenced three inmates for their roles in the 2017 prison riot at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, which resulted in the murder of prison officer Lt. Steven Floyd.
September 13, 2019 at 06:27 PM
3 minute read
The original version of this story was published on Delaware Law Weekly
New Castle County Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. on Friday sentenced three inmates for their roles in the 2017 prison riot at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, which resulted in the murder of prison officer Lt. Steven Floyd.
Dwayne Staats, 37, the so-called "ringleader" of the revolt, was sentenced to two life sentences in prison plus 153 years for his conviction on two counts of murder first degree, riot; two counts of assault first degree; four counts of kidnapping first degree; and conspiracy second degree.
Jarreau Ayers, 38, was sentenced to 123 years for his conviction on riot; two counts of assault first degree; and four counts of kidnapping first degree; and conspiracy second degree.
Royal Downs, 54, was sentenced to three years for his guilty plea to a riot charge to be served at the conclusion of his life sentence in Maryland.
All three of the defendants were already serving terms of life in prison for previous first-degree murder convictions, according to a Sept. 13 release from the Delaware Department of Justice listing the convictions.
The two-day uprising at the prison in Smyrna occurred Feb. 1 and 2, 2017, during which Floyd and three other employees, including a female counselor, were held hostage by inmates for two days in Building C of the building that served as a transitional housing unit.
Floyd, a 16-year veteran of the Department of Correction, was pronounced dead after the 18-hour standoff.
Following Floyd's death, additional security cameras were placed in the prison, among other changes.
Floyd's death prompted Delaware House lawmakers to vote last year to reinstate Delaware's death penalty, but the effort died in the Senate. The most severe punishment a convicted prisoner can get is life without parole.
Delaware Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Brian Robertson and Nichole Warner prosecuted the Vaughn trials with the support of paralegal Stacey Coupe, social workers Crystal Pitts and Donna Lindsey, investigator Willie Santiago, and administrative assistant Evelyn Davis. Sgt. David Weaver and a team of Delaware State Police Homicide Unit investigators led an extensive investigation in the aftermath of the riot.
"We are grateful for the hard work that prosecutors, investigators and staff did to find those responsible for the riot and to present the strongest case that the state could under tremendously difficult circumstances," said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings in a statement.
"Above all else, we continue to think of the Floyd family, Patricia May, Winslow Smith, Joshua Wilkinson, and the staff of the Department of Correction, all of whom have suffered incredible grief and endured a long, arduous process over the last 31 months," Jennings added.
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