Last Ojibway Prison Riot Trial Starts

The last criminal trial coming out of a riot at the Ojibway Correctional Facility is finally underway.

Jury selection in that last trial got underway this morning in Gogebic County Circuit Court.

The riot at the prison in Marenisco happened in April 2006.

Corrections officer Lieutenant Albert Basso, who has since retired, was stabbed in the melee.

2 inmates are on trial.

38-year-old Jesse Walton is charged with willfully assisting in causing a riot and assault.

He could face up to 10 more years in prison if convicted.

Walton was tried once before, but he had a mistrial declared when his defense attorney withdrew from the case for health reasons.

Walton now has a new lawyer.

27-year-old Willie Webb faces 1 count of willfully assisting in causing a riot, and 2 counts of assaulting prison employees.

The riot assistance charge could get him 10 years if he’s convicted, and the assaults could each mean up to 4 years.