2 Pa. guards get chance to explain beating

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — A county executive says two northwestern Pennsylvania prison guards will get a chance to explain accusations that they arranged for the beating of an inmate before the county decides whether to fire them.

Erie County executive Barry Grossman says 42-year-old Clifford Palmer and 36-year-old Jason Worcester will be sent certified letters inviting them to appear with a union representative at an administrative-review hearing.

Both remain suspended without pay and have been charged with having five inmates beat another inmate in January while he was jailed on charges that he assaulted Worcester’s niece.

The Erie Times-News has previously reported that Worcester was fired in 2008 after supervisors said they were unhappy with his job performance but he won a grievance to get his job back.

The guards have yet to comment on their charges.