Verdicts for the first group of inmates in JTVCC riot trial

WILMINGTON, Del. – After 21 hours of deliberations, the jury for the James T. Vaughn riot trials has decided the fate for the first group of inmates.

Despite reaching an impasse earlier in the afternoon, the jury was able to determine a final outcome.

All three men were charged with 11 counts: rioting, felony murder, intentional murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, two counts of assault, four counts of kidnapping and conspiracy 2nd degree.

Dwayne Staats was found guilty on every single count except for intentional murder. During his very own testimony, Staats says he was the mastermind behind the entire riot. Staats’ attorney, Peter Veith says, “My client has always maintained that he never intended for Sgt. Floyd to die and I think the jury’s decision reflects that. So we’ll look at his other convictions and go from there.”

Jarreau Ayers was found guilty for all counts except the three murder charges.

But as for Deric Forney, he was acquitted of all his charges. Ben Gifford, Forney’s attorney says, there wasn’t enough evidence against his client. And even when there were witnesses saying that Forney was attacking Correctional Officer Joshua Wilkinson, the jury seemed to believe that there was just not enough to charge him. “If the jury believed the two witnesses who had some credible issues in my opinion it was an all or nothing verdict in my opinion,” Gifford says.

With the first group of inmates now done, both the state and the Department of Corrections are ready to move forward.

DOC Commissioner Perry Phelps says, “Obviously when we started this process it took us right back to the day the event happened and there’s a lot of emotions and there’s a lot of different things going on with the DOC family and like I said with this decision it helps us with closure.”

This is the first group of inmates up for trial, there are four other groups that will follow.