Family of handcuffed lag shot by trainee guard after ‘gladiator fight’ win £1.3m

The family of a prisoner who was shot and killed by a trainee prison guard while handcuffed has won a $1.6million (£1.3million) payout.

Carlos Manuel Perez, 28 at the time, was killed by Raynaldo-John Ruiz Ramos at High Desert State Prison, Nevada, US, in November 2014.

According to a previous civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit, prison guards allowed handcuffed prisoners to fight in a "gladiator-like scenario" in the prison shower hallway. One was Perez.

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This is an area where inmates were meant to be separated.

Ramos ended the fight by firing a warning shot and three live shotgun blasts. Perez was killed, another prisoner was wounded but lived.

A nearly decade-long legal battle culminated on Monday (April 24) when Perez's family and Nevada prison officials reached a $1.6million settlement.

The deal is still pending final approval from the state’s Board of Examiners. It could go before the board in June or July.

The news came following hours of negotiations.

US District Judge Daniel Albregts said: "There’s nothing that could bring him back or make up for that loss, but I think today’s settlement takes strides toward that."

Perez was in prison for an assault he committed in Las Vegas in 2012.

Lawyer Paola Armeni said: "Carlos was unarmed and handcuffed and died tragically and unnecessarily.

"There is no amount of money that will ever bring back Carlos Perez. However, this settlement recognizes that Carlos’s life had value."

Prison officials reported his death the following day and did not mention the fact he was shot by the trainee prison guard. They also didn't mention the fight.

Those details emerged months later. The Clark County coroner ruled the death a homicide from gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest.

Ramos was fired in 2015 and subsequently charged with felony manslaughter. He avoided prison by accepting a deal with prosecutors, instead completing 240 hours of community service and undergoing counselling.

At the time, Armeni slammed it as a "slap on the hand" and said she believed no one had been held accountable for Perez's death.

Two other guards were found to have made false statements and neglected their duties at the time of the shooting. They later resigned.

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