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Honduras court finds police guilty in jail massacre
04 Jun 2008 22:49:58 GMT
 Source: Reuters
TEGUCIGALPA, June 4 (Reuters) - A Honduras court found 16 policemen and a soldier guilty on Wednesday of charges related to a prison massacre in which 67 people, most of them gang members, were killed by a raging fire or by gunshots.

The slayings happened in the La Ceiba prison, about 115 miles (185 km) north of Tegucigalpa, in 2003 after fighting broke out between jailed gang members, known as Maras, and other inmates who officials had put in charge of keeping order in the jail.

Fighting started when the gang members shot at some of the inmates in charge of security, who retaliated with knives, machetes and sticks. They locked about 20 gang members inside a cell, sprayed gasoline on mattresses and set them on fire.

Policemen and troops called in to control the riot witnessed the fire but "did nothing to prevent the Mara members from burning inside the cell," human rights prosecutor Sandra Ponce told Reuters in a phone interview.

Instead, they shot at inmates while the fire spread to other areas of the prison and killed more people, according to the court.

"This proves the active participation of members of the police and army in the prison massacre, who in may cases shot at gang member prisoners who were defenseless," Ponce said.

Sixteen of the inmates in charge of security -- a common practice in overcrowded and underfunded Honduran prisons -- were also found guilty. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia)


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A girl carries a poster that reads: "Who has hunger? I", during a march in Tegucigalpa June 1, 2008. Honduras is one of Latin America's poorest countries, with nearly three-quarters of ...


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Last updated:Wed Jun 4 22:46:44 2008