Damonte Rivera
Damonte Marquez Rivera, 24, was held at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina. A man who taught a life-skills class there said Rivera was young and full of energy that needed to be channeled. He died on April 15, 2018, during a riot that lasted about seven hours and killed seven men, and the Lee County coroner ruled his death a homicide caused by stab wounds. Prosecutors later said Blood gang members killed him in retaliation for another killing, while state officials attributed the violence to gang fighting over territory and contraband cellphones. The State Law Enforcement Division investigated the riot.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody. The Lee County coroner ruled he died of stab or slash wounds, and prosecutor Creighton Waters said Blood gang members killed him in retaliation during the riot.
Reported by: South Carolina Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); Lee County Coroner Larry Logan (medical examiner or coroner); Attorney General's Office prosecutor Creighton Waters (outside investigators); The Post and Courier (reporters).
Sources (33)
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- 7 inmates killed, 17 hospitalized after overnight incident at Lee Correctional Institution
- 7 Dead, At Least 17 Wounded In Hours-Long Fights At S.C. Prison
- 7 inmates dead, 17 injured in South Carolina prison fighting
- Vicious prison brawl leaves 7 South Carolina inmates dead
- Deadly S.C. prison brawl spanned 7 hours, 4 inmates killed had Lowcountry ties
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- A sampling of violence at South Carolina prisons
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- South Carolina prison riot leaves seven inmates dead
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- Who Are the S.C. Prison Riot Victims?
- South Carolina prison where 7 inmates died had equipment to block illegal cellphone use
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- Coroner: 7 inmates killed at Lee County prison died from blood loss after stabbings
- Coroner: Inmates in SC prison riot bled to death
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- SC inmates indicted for murder and mayhem in 2018 Lee prison riot that left 7 dead
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