2 Green Haven Guards Injured In Incident That Left Inmate Pepper-Sprayed: Union

STORMVILLE, NY — Two guards at Green Haven Correction Facility were injured Sunday when an inmate pulled one of them into his cell and punched him.

According to information from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, the incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. at the maximum security prison.

Inmate Anthony Torres, 50, who was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree attempted murder in 2005 in Queens County for stabbing his estranged wife to death and stabbing her boyfriend, had just returned to his cell but did not lock the cell gate.

An officer assigned to the cell block gave him several order to close the gate but Torres refused.

Officials said the officer went to the inmate’s cell and attempted to close the cell gate.

Torres grabbed the officer by the shirt with both hands and attempted to pull him into the cell.

The officer tried to push the inmate away but was unsuccessful, and the inmate punched the officer several times about the body as he tried to pull him into the cell.

During the attack, the officer activated his personal alarm and struck the inmate several times.

A second officer responded to the scene and pepper sprayed the inmate’s face to get him to let go of the officer’s shirt.

Torres released his grip on the officer but continued to struggle violently with both officers when they attempted to get restraints on him.

Two more officers responded and put the inmate in body holds while the restraints were applied.

Torres was removed from the scene and placed in a special housing unit.

Both officers sustained minor injuries and were treated by the facility medical staff.

Michael Mazzella, mid-Hudson region vice president of the association, said it was lucky that none of the officers were seriously injured, but it could have turned out otherwise.

“Sunday’s incident is a clear example of how providing our members with additional resources, like pepper spray, can help rotect them as well as get violent inmates under control quickly,” he said.

Mazzella said the corrections department has a pilot program to examine the use of pepper spray.

“It has proven effective and it should be utilized in all of our correctional facilities to minimize the violence,” he said.