A Nebraska judge has declared a mistrial in the murder case against a Tecumseh prison inmate.
The trial of 27 year old Eric Ramos ended Monday after the judge learned that three prison investigators met over the weekend. The meeting was a direct violation of a court order, as all three were set to testify as witnesses in the case against Ramos. Ramos is accused of murdering a fellow inmate during a riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in March of 2017.
Ramos had pleaded not guilty in the death of 31 year old Michael Galindo, who was stabbed to death during the uprising. The bodies of Galindo and another inmate, 39 year old Damon Fitzgerald, were located after a SWAT team regained control of the prison.
Prison officials say the riot started after staffers confiscated large quantities of homemade alcohol from the prisoners.
Prosecutors will now have to decide whether or not to refile charges against Ramos.