A pair of former Nevada Department of Corrections officers faced a jury in Las Vegas Wednesday on felony charges involving an encounter with an inmate.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Paul Valdez and Jose Navarette each face a felony charge of oppression under color of office and two gross misdemeanors in connection with an incident in October 2016 at the Southern Desert Correctional Center.
Attorneys for the two said they followed prison protocol when dealing with an uncooperative inmate.
Ricky Norelus was serving a two-to six-year sentence for battery with a deadly weapon, can be seen in surveillance video disobeying orders and shouting obscenities when the two guards had to restrain him.
Norelus did not suffer any injuries from the encounter and has since been released from prison.
Navarette and Valdez could face up to four years in prison for the felony charge and up to one year in prison for each gross misdemeanor charge.