Prison guards acquitted in inmate stomping death

? Three former prison guards were acquitted Friday on charges they stomped an inmate to death in his cell to keep him from exposing brutality behind bars.

The jury deliberated for 3 1/2 hours before returning its verdict in the murder trial of Capt. Timothy Thornton, 36, and Sgts. Jason Griffis and Charles Brown, both 28. The men hugged their attorneys and cried after the verdicts were read.

From left, defense attorney Therese Misito, defendant Timothy Thornton, attorneys Ted Curtis and Gloria Fletcher, and defendants Charles Brown and Jason Griffis gather in front of Circuit Judge Larry Turner in Starke, Fla. The three former prison guards were acquitted Friday of murdering an inmate.

All three had been charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated battery, battery on an inmate, and official misconduct in the July 17, 1999, slaying of death-row inmate Frank Valdes at Florida State Prison. The men could have received life sentences if convicted.

Valdes, 36, was found dead after what prosecutors allege were two violent confrontations with guards. He had 22 broken ribs and other fractures and internal injuries, and his upper body was covered with boot prints.

Prosecutors said he was beaten to keep him from talking to reporters about mistreatment of inmates.

The inmate’s ex-wife, Wanda, sobbed when she heard the verdict.

“How on earth can you get a fair trial where everybody is a guard or is related to a guard?” she said. “I want the next ones to pay for what they did. There’s no way around it, they have to answer to God.”

Five other corrections officers are to be tried later in Valdes’ death. Defense lawyers had argued during the trial that some of those guards may have been responsible for killing Valdes.