Inmates charged in Delaware prison riot claim abuse in lawsuit

SMYRNA, Del. -- Nine inmates charged in a Delaware correctional officer's murder during a riot are suing corrections officials, alleging that they were abused.

News outlets report that Dwayne Stats, who has said he organized the 2017 uprising, filed the federal lawsuit last month with eight other inmates claiming inmates were "physically, mentally and emotionally" abused by those running the state's prisons. These inmates weren't permitted to be part of a similar class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who weren't charged in the riot.

After the 18-hour standoff, Officer Steven Floyd was found dead and a prison counselor was rescued.

The lawsuit claims police unnecessarily beat the defendants after the building was reclaimed and they were denied medical care for months. It also accuses corrections officials of disposing of the inmates' belongings.