Key details of state's case

Here are some of the more important elements in the state's case against former prison guards Timothy A. Thornton, Charles A. Brown and Jason P. Griffis:

The doctors

Two doctors who performed separate autopsies on Frank Valdes say there is no question he was stomped to death at Florida State Prison. His injuries: a broken nose; a jaw broken in two places; a broken collar bone, shoulder and sternum; 30 fractures on 22 ribs and four broken vertebrae. "His chest is so injured that he could not take a breath," prosecutor Greg McMahon tells the jury.

The guards

The state's star witness, former prison guard Raymon Hanson, tells the jury he sees Sgt. Charles Brown kicking Valdes repeatedly during a "cell extraction" the morning of July 17, 1999. He sees Capt. Timothy Thornton use an electric stunning device on Valdes' head. He says the inmate is unresponsive the entire time. He says he falsified his "use of force" report at the urging of Brown and other guards. His brother, George Hanson, says he sees Valdes moaning and groaning after the extraction. Their testimony is relevant to the battery and official misconduct charges against the three guards, but doesn't address the second-degree murder charge.

The inmates

One inmate, Steven Porkolab, sees massive amounts of blood after Valdes is extracted from his cell, an account consistent with a prison nurse's testimony. But guard Raymon Hanson says he saw little blood. That afternoon, inmate Castro Flores hears what he believes is a beating in Valdes' cell, but no other witness can corroborate it. Inmate Callis Mitchell hears guards say they plan to beat someone, but he cannot pinpoint the time or day and cannot say for sure who said it.

The motive

Two inmates from Hamilton Correctional Institution, brought to Florida State Prison, are beaten a week before Valdes dies. One suffers a broken jaw. Another inmate, Robert Krebs, says Valdes tries to get word to the media about the beatings. Krebs also says Valdes fears for his life after a guard tells him he will be killed when the warden goes on vacation. Warden James Crosby went on vacation July 16, 1999. Valdes died the next day.

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