9 Inmates Accused Of Killings, Violence At Brooklyn Federal Prison

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn federal court accused nine inmates at Metropolitan Detention Center-Brooklyn of several acts of violence — which included two murders, two violent assaults, and an attempted murder — on Monday.

These court cases, led by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, contain disturbing acts of violence in the federal detention center, which is located in Sunset Park.

The center has been in the headlines recently: Metropolitan Detention Center-Brooklyn is the only federal pre-trial detention center in New York City, and it currently has several high-profile inmates, like rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was recently accused of various sex crimes.

Yesterday, one of its corrections officers was charged with chasing a civilian car for five miles and shooting a passenger inside.

The Cases

The fatal stabbings that killed Uriel Whyte and Edwin Cordero took place just six weeks apart, on June 7 and July 17, respectively.

Following a verbal argument on June 7, the federal prosecutors say defendants Andrew Simpson and Devone Thomas armed themselves with makeshift weapons, stabbing Whyte in the neck for 15 minutes in their cell. Because the incident took place in the cell, guards didn't see, and Whyte died shortly after escaping the cell, the federal prosecutors said.

Then, on July 17, defendants Jamaul Aziz, James Bazemore and Alberto Santiago are accused by the federal prosecutors of killing Cordero in the prison, stabbing him with makeshift weapons in the chest and back, after an earlier argument.

If convicted, Simpson, Thomas, Aziz and Santiago face mandatory sentences of life in prison, court officials said.

The other four defendants in other cases include Luis Rivas, who the federal prosecutors accused of attempted murder for stabbing another inmate 44 times, Bruce Silva and Hassan Elliott, who are accused of stabbing four inmates using makeshift weapons and a large ice-pick, and Leury Mojica, who is accused of punching a corrections officer in the face.

All of the defendants will be arraigned in the coming days, the court officials said.

“Violence will not be tolerated in our federal jails,” Peace said. "No matter the reason for their detention, my Office will work tirelessly to vindicate the rights of victims who suffer violence within MDC-Brooklyn and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who choose to commit such heinous acts."