Judge assigned to handle cases stemming from prison riot (Report)

DOVER, Del. –  A trial judge who previously served as U.S. Attorney for Delaware has been assigned to handle the cases of 18 inmates charged in a deadly prison riot and hostage-taking.

Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. was assigned the cases on Monday.

Carpenter is no stranger to high-profile cases, having presided over the bench trial of former pediatrician Earl Bradley. Bradley is serving several life sentences for raping and sexually molesting scores of young patients, whose assaults were captured on home videos he made.

Sixteen of the 18 inmates indicted last month are charged with first-degree murder and assault. All of the defendants are charged with kidnapping, riot and conspiracy in the February uprising, during which correctional officer Steven Floyd was killed and three other prison workers taken hostage.