Pubdate: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Section: News,page 4 Author: Kiley Russell, The Associated Press 4 GUARDS ACQUITTED IN PRISON RAPE CASE They were accused of setting up a sexual attack on an inmate at Corcoran. HANFORD-Four guards at one of California's most dangerous prisons were acquitted Monday of setting up the rape of a prisoner by leaving him in the cell of a known sexual predator. The prosecution argued that the Corcoran State Prison guards set up the rape of Eddie Dillard over two days in March 1993 to punish him for kicking a female guard at another prison. Wayne Robertson said Dillard was hand-delivered to him after he gave one of the guards a short list of would-be victims. But defense lawyers told jurors that Robertson and Dillard were convicted felons with histories of violent behavior who weren't above lying to build a case against the guards. The jury returned not-guilty verdicts for all four guards, who were indicted last year on charges of aiding and abetting sodomy in concert. Sgts. Robert Decker, 41, and Dale Brakebill, 34, and officers Anthony Sylva, 36, and Joe Sanchez, 38, had faced up to nine years in prison. "We are vindicated today," shouted a jubilant Brakebill outside the Kings County Superior Court. "I'm very proud of those people that they could say 'enough is enough' and let these guys get on with their lives." The small courtroom exploded with applause and shouts of joy from the guards' families as the jury foreman read the verdicts. Each guard embraced his lawyer with obvious relief. The guards were accused of leaving the 118-pound Dillard in the cell of Wayne Jerome Robertson, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound convicted murderer known as the "Booty Bandit," to "teach him how to do his time." Outside the courthouse, Deputy Attorney General Vern Pierson said it was a difficult case to build, since he depended on getting information from secretive prison guards and relied on testimony from dangerous criminals. Dillard is also involved in a civil suit against the guards, expected to begin early next year. Corcoran was the nation's most deadly prison from 1989 to 1995, when 43 inmates were wounded and seven shot to death by guards. Eight other Corcoran guards await trial on federal charges of staging gladiator-style fights by putting rival gang members in the exercise yard at the same time. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea