Jury selection complete in fatal prison riot prosecution

WILMINGTON, Del. – Jury selection is complete in the trial of four Delaware inmates charged with murder, kidnapping and other crimes following a fatal prison riot.

With the process of picking jurors completed Thursday, opening statements and initial testimony are slated for Oct. 22.

The four defendants are among 18 inmates charged in the riot. One inmate has pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the others, who will be tried in five separate groups.

Inmates at the state’s maximum-security rioted on Feb. 1 last year, killing prison guard Steven Floyd and taking three other staffers hostage.

Two other prison guards were released by inmates after being beaten and tormented. A female counsellor was held hostage for almost 20 hours before tactical teams burst through a wall with a backhoe and rescued her.