Inmates Allegedly Hold Guard Hostage at St. Louis Jail
Six inmates in St. Louis are in trouble after an incident at a jail where they reportedly took a 73-year-old guard hostage and used his keys to free other prisoners. The dramatic rescue by a SWAT team saved the guard.
According to documents from the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, the guard was taken hostage around 6 a.m. on August 22. He suffered minor injuries and was later treated at a hospital.
The motive behind the incident at the St. Louis Justice Center is still being investigated. However, last week, Corrections Director Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah mentioned that one of the inmates had an unusual demand: pizza.
The situation began when two inmates, Eric Williams and Anthony Newberry, who were facing first-degree murder charges, were assisting the guard in delivering breakfast trays to other inmates. Suddenly, Williams started attacking the guard, and Newberry joined in, pulling the guard to a shower area.
Newberry managed to take the guard’s keys and started unlocking all the cells, releasing many inmates from their confinement.
Two other inmates, Paul Mondaine and Earnest Lyons, moved the guard to a table inside the area. There, they restrained him by handcuffing him and shackling his legs. Meanwhile, Newberry and another inmate, Richard Bolden III, destroyed televisions and used parts from them, along with broom and mop handles, to create makeshift weapons.
A tense situation unfolded as Mondaine allegedly threatened the guard, holding one of the improvised weapons and warning that he would harm him if anyone tried to enter.
The SWAT team arrived and successfully rescued the guard around 8 a.m.
Interim Public Safety Director Chris Coyle revealed that “less-than-lethal ammunition” was used to control the unruly prisoners, and two of the inmates sustained minor injuries caused by their fellow inmates during the incident.
Charges have been filed against the involved inmates. Eric Williams, Anthony Newberry, Paul Mondaine, Earnest Lyons, and Cleveland Washington Jr. are facing first-degree kidnapping charges. Additionally, Bolden, Newberry, and Washington are charged with causing damage to the jail. Williams and Newberry are also facing assault charges, while Mondaine is being charged with the unlawful use of a weapon.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP contributed to this report.