IF IT'S NOT OKAY, IT'S JUST NOT OVER!
Email Questions about the upcoming Oct 12, 2000 trial.
The Killing of Frank Valdes
The Story
IF IT'S NOT OKAY, IT'S JUST NOT OVER!
Frank Valdes was beaten for being human: for loosing it after helplessly listening to a week long series of savage attacks being committed on other inmates. The man closest to him was one of "the Hamilton Five' , all of whom had been targeted for punishment. Seems several inmates at Hamilton "C"I. had gone on a hunger strike. These five prisoners had been named as 'ringleaders' and had been moved to FSP for punishment. This was to make sure no more peaceful hunger strikes took place. The guards had reportedly been literally hanging up the inmates, putting cloth around their heads, and beating them viciously day after day most of the week.
Good old boys just having a little fun while 'just doing their jobs!'
The screams were disturbing to other inmates, and Frank grew desperate as the days went by, until One day he couldn't take it any longer. He began to scream at the guards to quit, that he was going to tell the outside world about them.
That got their attention alright, and on July 16th, C/O Montres Lucas reportedly beat Frank Valdes severely enough to leave him lying on the floor all night with a broken jaw. The next morning, on July 17th, nine guards, according to most reports, entered Mr. Valdes' cell early in the morning, woke him, handcuffed him and slowly and methodically beat him to death.
The coroner's report says all Frank's ribs were crushed, boot prints were imbedded in his chest, and his testicles were swollen to the size of an orange! I got reports from others that when the guards first saw his body it was black from bruising. How did this happen? The guards were asked. "He threw himself off the top bunk over and over, until he did this to himself!"
That's the DOC's Story and they' seem to be stickin' to it!
NEWS RELEASE
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/press_releases/20000203_arrested_officers.asp
Alachua County Grand Jury Indicts Four Florida State Prison Correctional Officers on Charges of 2nd Degree Murder.
February 3, 2000
State Attorney Rod Smith, 8th Judicial Circuit, Gainesville, and Commissioner James T. Moore of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced today that an Alachua County Grand Jury has returned indictments charging four Florida State Prison Correctional Officers for the alleged beating death of death row inmate Frank Valdes. Valdes died on July 17, 1999.
The Grand Jury returned indictments on the following four suspects, charging each with 2nd Degree Murder.
- Captain Timothy Alvin Thornton, 11/6/65, 14 years with DOC, of Bradford County
- Sergeant Charles Austin Brown, 11/20/73, 6 years with DOC, of Bradford County
- Sergeant Jason Patrick Griffis, 4/18/73, 6 years with DOC, of Baker County
- Sergeant Robert William Sauls, 10/23/62, 15 years with DOC, of Clay County
The Grand Jury also returned an indictment on Montrez Lucas, for breaking Frank's jaw on July 16th, the day before the beating that killed him. [Mr. Lucas was since found
"innocent" in a miscarriage of justice called a 'trial' that took place in the small Bradford County Courthouse, right there in the guard's back yard where they all live and work].
FDLE Agents armed with arrest warrants, arrested all four suspects without incident and booked them in the Bradford County Jail, where bond was set at $100,000 each. The suspects will appear at 11:00 a.m. today for a first appearance hearing and face a possible life sentence, if convicted.This investigation began on July 17, 1999, when the Department of Corrections first reported the death of Valdes to FDLE. Over the past six months, FDLE conducted more than 400 interviews which resulted in over 300 investigative leads. These arrests are the culmination of the intensive efforts of the FDLE agents, the State Attorney's office and the Florida Department of Corrections.
State Attorney Smith and FDLE Commissioner Moore commended the efforts of the men and women of FDLE and the State Attorneys office who have steadfastly pursued these investigative efforts. Commissioner Moore said, "This is not about Florida's correctional system. We recognize the vast majority of correctional officers do their job in an upright and admirable manner and under some very stressful and trying conditions. Our commitment when we began this investigation was to determine whether the law had been broken, and if so, identify those responsible for this crime. These indictments are the direct result of our strong commitment to this ongoing investigation.
For more information, contact:
Al Dennis
Public Information Director
Public Information Office
FDLE
850-410-7001