JTVCC Riot Trial Day 1: First group of inmates give opening statements

WILMINGTON, Del. – Monday morning testimonies began for the first trial surrounding last year’s prison riot in Smyrna. It’s been more than 18 months since inmates inside the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center took control and held many hostage inside.

On February 1st, 2017, JTVCC was taken over by inmates a little before 10:30 in the morning. It was a 19-hour long hostage situation where inmates were rioting demanding that the prison system improve.

During that takeover, Lieutenant Steven Floyd was murdered. Three others were taken hostage. Correctional officers Winslow Smith and Joshua Wilkinson were also injured and counselor Patricia May was kidnapped.

Indictments were placed on the 18 suspects last year after a thorough investigation interviewing witnesses. 18 inmates are charged with rioting and kidnapping, 16 of those men are charged with the murder of Lieutenant Steven Floyd.

Roman Shankaras, Dwayne Staats, Jarreau Ayers, and Deric Forney, these are the first group of four men on trial. Staats and Ayers are representing themselves.

The way this trial will work is that while they are all in the same courtroom, there are actually four different trials going on. That means the jury must decide four separate outcomes.

Through the state’s opening statements and evidence, prosecutors claim these four men had significant roles in the riot and murder of Lieutenant Floyd. Through their evidence, they previewed several things they would be going over in the case. According to the state, Ayers made a phone call the day before the riot saying that something big was about to happen and that he needed money. As for Forney, he was one of the men who assaulted the officers. According to letters written after the uprising, Shankaras claimed he was the mastermind of the riot. Last but not least, according to the state, Staats also said he was responsible for the riot and the one behind it.

However in the defense’s opening statements they maintain the defendants are not guilty, claiming there are many inconsistencies in this case urging the jury to realize that before making a decision.
Jason Antoine, Shankaras’ lawyer, says that many inmates didn’t like Sergeant Steven Floyd but his client had no motive to be apart of this.

Crucial testimony in this case will come from one of the inmates charged Royal Downs. Downs entered a guilty plea a few months back and is now working with the state as one of its key witnesses. The defense claims that Downs is the key player in the riot and is actually the one who killed Lieutenant Floyd.

The last few hours of the day, we heard testimony from two witnesses from Delaware State Police where we reviewed the evidence found in Building C. That’s the location the riot took place inside the prison. The first witness Agent David Weaver was the Chief Investigating Officer during this case working with the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit. They were able to narrow 126 inmates to 18.

The second witness was DSP Corporal Roger Cresto was the crime scene investigator. He went over the multiple crime scene photos. Among those pictures, graphic photos of Lieutenant Floyd were shown lifeless on the floor.

This trial is set for the next two weeks and day two will resume Tuesday at 10 AM.

This is the first group of inmates up for trial. The other 4 groups are scheduled to follow and the trials could go all the way into April of 2019.