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State prison officers demoted, fired Waynesburg officers reprimanded for abuse of inmates Wednesday, May 06, 1998 Mike Bucsko and Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Staff Writers
The top commissioned officer at the state prison in Waynesburg was demoted yesterday and two of his lieutenants were fired as the result of a state Department of Corrections investigation into the abuse of inmates at Pennsylvania's only super-maximum security prison.
Eight other commissioned officers at the Waynesburg prison also received disciplinary action that included suspensions, a demotion and letters of reprimand.
Only one of the 12 commissioned officers walked away unscathed after he was brought up on charges before an investigatory panel -- Capt. Richard Roach, a nine-year corrections employee from Waynesburg.
The discipline occurred just over two weeks after Waynesburg's chief administrator, Superintendent Ben Varner, was demoted one level and transferred across the state to a medium-security prison in Luzerne County. Varner could not be reached yesterday. Philip L. Johnson replaced Varner.
The discipline announced yesterday included: Maj. Robert Sparbanie, North Fayette, demoted to lieutenant; Lts. John Tustin, Waynesburg, and Scott Nickelson, Smithton, both fired; Capt. Dennis Lantz, Mount Union, demoted to lieutenant; Lt. William McCombie, Connellsville, 15-day suspension; Lt. Robert Esmond, Jefferson, 10-day suspension; Lt. Robert Berberick, Greensburg, five-day suspension; Lts. Jeffery Forte, Perryopolis, and David Grainey, Waynesburg, three-day suspensions; Capt. John Kingston, Uniontown, and Lt. Charles Plavi, Jefferson, written reprimands.
The discipline can be appealed.
"There are two sides to every story. You'll hear our side soon. We will appeal. That's all I have to say right now," Tustin said.
Greene County District Attorney David Pollock is conducting his own investigation of videotaped incidents provided by the Department of Corrections. Pollock said he is still interviewing inmates and prison personnel and that his investigation is continuing.
The disciplinary proceedings stemmed from a complaint from an inmate who said he was assaulted by guards on Nov. 17 while being taken to the restricted housing unit, also known as "the hole," where inmates are taken for disciplinary or security reasons. All transfers to the unit are videotaped by a security camera.
After receiving the complaint, the Department of Corrections ordered hearings for 42 officers and guards covering 36 separate incidents over a yearlong period.
The inmate, who was recently interviewed by Pollock, said he was assaulted after he requested a grievance form. He said a prison nurse took four photographs of his injuries.
The inmate's former counselor, Robert DeBord of Fayette County, said the inmate was being disciplined because he complained about a delay in the opening of the law library.
"The block sergeant said they sent him to the (restricted housing unit) for an attitude adjustment. She looked at her watch and said, 'He's probably getting it right about now,"' DeBord said.
DeBord resigned from the State Correctional Institution-Greene in December after he claims he was asked to corroborate a falsified report against an inmate.
A series of hearings began in Camp Hill three weeks ago for 42 commissioned officers and guards at the SCI-Greene. The discipline was meted out yesterday by Corrections Commissioner Martin Horn's office, based on the recommendations of the investigatory panels, department spokesman Michael Lukens said.
"We based our penalties on our assessment of the individual officers' responsibilities for the incidents, the frequency they were involved in incidents and their prior work history," Lukens said in a prepared statement.
Horn was not available for comment, Lukens said.
The final hearing for the corrections officers who have not yet appeared before a panel will be today in Camp Hill.
In addition to the commissioned officers disciplined yesterday, there are 30 unionized prison guards who have also been charged in the internal investigation. Decisions on disciplinary action for those officers will be determined within the next two to three weeks, Lukens said.
"There's no room in our correctional system for any unnecessary abuse," Lukens said. "We will not tolerate this type of behavior."
Randy Gauger of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, a group founded more than 200 years ago by Quakers to ensure the humane treatment of inmates, said he hoped the Department of Corrections and criminal investigations would move forward.
"It strikes us that if (Department of Corrections) employees were willing to take part in this kind of activity in which video cameras were running, what was happening in other parts of the (restricted housing unit)where there are no cameras?" Gauger said.
"We also hope that these officers won't be scapegoats for the policy that encourages this type of behavior. The administration and the (department) needs to be held responsible," he added. "With this many guards and officers sanctioned, there had to be an unspoken policy there that allowed this go on. This is only the first round."
SCI-Greene has 1,500 inmates, including 113 on death row, the most of any Pennsylvania prison.
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