GUARDS PLEAD GUILTY TO BEATING INMATE TO DEATH

Uniondale, New York -- Their job was to guard prisoners, but this morning
two Long Island corrections officers are spending their first full day in a
federal lockup after pleading guilty to fatally beating a recovering heroin
addict in his cell at the county jail.

The Jan. 8, 1999, beating was the most severe of more han 100 alleged cases
of abuse at the Nassau County jail in the last eight years and has led to
an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of
New York.

The guards, Patrick Regnier and Edward Velazquez, entered their guilty
pleas Wednesday before U.S. District Court Judge Jacob Mishler after a
third guard cut a deal last week, admitting that he served as the lookout
during the attack.

"The bottom line here is they all pleaded guilty, really, to causing Thomas
Pizzuto's death and vincated everything that this family has said about how
it happened," said attorney Barry Scheck, who represents the family in a
civil lawsuit.

Pizzuto, a 38-year-old recovering heroin addict, was crying out for his
methadone treatment at the time of his fatal beating. The Hicksville
resident was serving a 90-day sentence for traffic violations.

Three days after the beating, he suffered a seizure and died. The Nassau
County medical examiner determined Pizzuto suffered a ruptured spleen and
ruled the death a homicide.

Velazquez, under questioning from the judge, admitted that he went to
Pizzuto's cell "to quiet him down and use unreasonable force if necessary."
Regnier admitted to Mishler, "I did land on him with my knees. I did punch
him in the back."

The courtroom was packed for the guilty pleas, with Pizzuto's mother, widow
and wheelchair-bound father weeping quietly during the 70-minute session.