Current:Home > MarketsMan gets life plus up to 80 years for killing of fellow inmate during Nebraska prison riot-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Man gets life plus up to 80 years for killing of fellow inmate during Nebraska prison riot
View Date:2024-12-23 22:15:26
TECUMSEH, Neb. (AP) — A Gage County man was sentenced to life plus 60 to 80 years in prison Friday for the killing of a fellow inmate who was stabbed more than 100 times during a riot at a Nebraska state prison.
The sentencing of Eric Ramos came over a month after he was found guilty in December of first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit murder and tampering with evidence in the case of the 2017 slaying of Michael Galindo.
District Judge Rick Schreiner said the jury had plenty of facts to determine that Ramos was guilty, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. He added that when Ramos testified at trial, he gave jurors an opportunity to see his profile, which they could then compare to prison security video of the attack.
Ramos, 33, has denied being an assailant seen in the video and said he would not have jeopardized his upcoming parole by participating in the attack. He declined a chance to speak at the sentencing on the advice of counsel, due to a coming appeal.
Defense lawyer Tim Noerrlinger has argued that the video was of poor quality and that investigators did not test blood found on the hands and clothing of other inmates.
Noerrlinger filed a motion for a new trial following the December verdict. In it he argued that Ramos was prevented from getting a fair trial due to various issues, including a failure by prosecutors to disclose reports about one witness until after he testified and about a second potential witness the state hadn’t previously mentioned until two weeks into the proceedings.
The motion was rejected by Shreiner this week, but those issues are expected to be revisited on appeal.
Galindo, 31, was found dead in his cell on March 2, 2017, one of two inmates slain during the riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
Investigators said he had been severely beaten and stabbed 130 times, and an autopsy determined he died of smoke inhalation after other inmates set towels ablaze and pushed them into the cell through a broken window.
Ramos’ first trial in 2018 ended in a mistrial after the judge learned that several investigators who were witnesses in the case met up despite a court order forbidding it. The Nebraska Court of Appeals later ruled that Ramos should be retried.
In his second trial, prosecutors relied heavily on the surveillance video, from which a prison guard identified Ramos as one of the attackers.
Investigators said Ramos was one of several who attacked Galindo, but he is the only one to face charges so far.
No one has been charged in the killing of the second inmate who died in the riot, Damon Fitzgerald.
veryGood! (66461)
Related
- GM recalling big pickups and SUVs because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing risk of a crash
- Teddy Bridgewater to retire after the season, still impacting lives as 'neighborhood hero'
- Rudy Giuliani must pay $148 million to 2 Georgia election workers he defamed, jury decides
- Teddy Bridgewater to retire after the season, still impacting lives as 'neighborhood hero'
- Mike Tyson has lived a wild life. These 10 big moments have defined his career
- Why Shaggy Took a Strategic Step Back From the Spotlight
- Juwan Howard cleared to return as Michigan's head basketball coach, AD announces
- Senators eye border deal framework as early as Sunday, though parole policy remains sticking point
- Isiah Pacheco injury updates: When will Chiefs RB return?
- Prolific Chicago sculptor whose public works explored civil rights, Richard Hunt dies at 88
Ranking
- NY forest ranger dies fighting fires as air quality warnings are issued in New York and New Jersey
- Anthony Anderson to host the Emmy Awards, following strike-related delays
- A New Orleans neighborhood confronts the racist legacy of a toxic stretch of highway
- US military leaders press Israel to shift from major combat as Iranian-backed ship attacks escalate
- New Jersey will issue a drought warning after driest October ever and as wildfires rage
- These 18 Great Gifts Have Guaranteed Christmas Delivery & They're All on Sale
- Melania Trump says her experience with immigration process opened my eyes to the harsh realities people face
- Tyreek Hill won't suit up for Dolphins' AFC East clash against Jets
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson employs two trainers who 'work like a dream team' as Jake Paul fight nears
-
You'll Burn for This Update on Bridgerton Season 3
-
A Black woman miscarried at home and was charged for it. It shows the perils of pregnancy post-Roe
-
Federal agency quashes Georgia’s plan to let pharmacies sell medical marijuana
-
Suspected shooter and four others are found dead in three Kansas homes, police say
-
Serbia’s populists look to further tighten grip on power in tense election
-
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Stars Have a Full Cast Reunion That Will Lift Your Spirits
-
2 new cases of chronic wasting disease found in Alabama deer