By David Hernandez
The San Diego Union-Tribune
SAN DIEGO — Seven Donovan state prison correctional officers who were attacked during a melee last week have been released from hospitals and are recovering at home, an official said Thursday.
Meanwhile, four inmates who were identified as suspects in the Aug. 16 attack at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility were moved to segregation units, said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terri Hardy.
She said an investigation into the melee was ongoing. The suspects could face charges of attempted murder of an officer, but they were not charged as of Thursday.
Hardy previously said about 20 inmates were in a recreation yard just before 4 p.m. when an inmate hit an officer. Other inmates and officers rushed over.
The melee came to an end when an officer fired a warning shot.
Hardy said “several weapons” were recovered, but did not elaborate.
She said the officers suffered stab wounds, lacerations and possible broken bones. All were hospitalized.
Two inmates also were taken to hospitals, while others were treated at the prison’s medical facility
Christina Armstrong told 10News her longtime boyfriend, Correctional Officer Malcolm Billingsley, suffered a back injury and possible nerve damage to his hand.
She said he was struggling with “everyday things.”
“He can’t take care of our son, let alone play with him,” she said. “He’s in a lot of pain.”
Marcy Milan told the news station her husband, Correctional Oficer Roland Milan, was stabbed in the face, had his upper teeth knocked out and suffered a brain bleed. She said he had four plates inserted into his face.
The four suspects in the attack were identified as:
William Barba, 41, who was sent to prison from Los Angeles County in 2000 to serve a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder;Joe Mendez, 39, who was sentenced in 2000 in Orange County to 52 years to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder;Luis Delgado, 24, who was in 2019 was sentenced in Fresno County to 13 years for assault with a semiautomatic firearm; andMichael Figueroa, 20, who in 2019 was went to prison from Orange County to serve 10 years and six months for attempted voluntary manslaughter.Updates:5:28 PM, Aug. 27, 2020: This story was updated with interviews in a 10News article.
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