PRISON SHOOTINGS TO BE REVIEWED

Sacramento-The state Attorney General's Office will launch an
independent investigation of two dozen shootings of inmates by guards
at Corcoran State Prison.

Last fall, a special state review panel concluded that five fatal
shootings and 19 incidents between 1989 and 1995 in which Corcoran
inmates were wounded were unjustified. Guards argued the shootings
were needed to break up fights among inmates.

"We are going to independently assess the circumstances of each of
them," said Peter Siggins, chief deputy for legal affairs for new
Attorney General Bill Lockyer.

The prison guards' union has vigorously defended the officers involved
in the shootings, arguing that if guards overreacted it was because
they were following flawed Corrections Department policy.

At Corcoran, guards killed seven inmates during fist fights among the
prisoners. None of the inmates were armed or posed an immediate threat
of great bodily harm to another inmate, according to the Los Angeles
Times.

No guard has been prosecuted for murder, manslaughter or assault with
a deadly weapon. Only a handful of officers statewide have been
disciplined for shooting at inmates in fights, the newspaper reported.

One of the cases caught on videotape and being reviewed by Lockyer's
office is the shooting death of William Marinez, the first inmate
slain at Corcoran's Security Housing Unit in April 1989. He was shot
during a fight with a rival gang member.

Videotape from prison cameras shows that Martinez was getting the best
of his rival and had delivered several blows and a single kick before
walking away. The fight appeared over and Martinez stood a few feet
from his rival when the fatal shot struck him in the back. A review
panel at the time exonerated the officer.