State Inmate Abuse

Newark, NJ: (Feb-6-08) Michael Kounelis, a state prison inmate, brought a lawsuit against the state of New Jersey, alleging that he was beaten by a guard four years ago and that he was assaulted in Dec. 2007. The suit claimed that Kounelis and his twin brother, Efstathios Kounelis, both of whom came to the United States from Greece, were convicted of armed robbery in Nov. 1990 after breaking into the Millbrook Diner in Matawan, accosting the cleanup crew, tying one of the employees to a piece of equipment, and stealing $6,000 from the office safe. Kounelis stated that he initially filed a federal lawsuit in 2004 following an altercation with guards at Northern State Prison in Newark. Kounelis alleged he was assaulted by Senior Corrections Officer Carlos Atuncar for filing two complaints against Atuncar. The officers, however, contended Kounelis intentionally bumped a different corrections officer and had to be physically restrained. He further claimed that on Dec. 18, 2007 Senior Corrections Officer Luther Thompson struck him in the face during an inspection of cells at Northern State. He was treated for bruises to the face, back, legs and arm and then transferred to New Jersey's maximum-security prison in Trenton.

As part of a settlement reached, the Attorney General's Office has agreed to pay more than $100,000 to resolve the federal lawsuit. Kounelis, who is eligible for parole next month after serving 18 years for an armed robbery conviction, reached the preliminary settlement with the state just days before he was set to file an amended lawsuit, including the latest assault allegations in US District Court in Newark. [STAR LEDGER: STATE INMATE ABUSE]

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Published on Feb-7-08