Washington Parish Jury Finds Inmate Guilty in Attack

District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on May 22, 2024, a Washington Parish jury found 51-year-old Bruce Stipe of New Orleans guilty of “Battery of a correctional facility employee” involving an attack on a Rayburn Correctional Center guard. Assistant District Attorney Luke Lancaster presented the case to the jury and Judge Ellen Creel presided over the trial.

Testimony during the trial established that on October 26, 2023, guards at Rayburn Correctional Center responded to a disturbance in one of the inmate dormitories. As the guards attempted to quell the disturbance, several inmates crowded the area and began verbally assaulting the guards. The inmates were given orders to back away. In response, inmate Bruce Stipe took a fighting stance and said “F--- you motherf---ers, I ain’t moving.” Stipe proceeded to physically attack one of the guards, striking him in the face and biting him three separate times. Other guards were able to subdue Stipe and gain physical control of him. The injured guard was treated by medical staff at the facility.

Stipe is set to be sentenced by Judge Creel on July 8, 2024. He has numerous prior felony convictions out of New Orleans, including Attempted first degree murder of a police officer, Attempted second degree murder, Armed robbery, Simple burglary and Simple escape. He also has a previous conviction for Battery on a correctional officer involving an attack on a Rayburn guard in 2021. He is being housed at Rayburn while serving a 40-year prison term on the attempt murder and escape convictions.