A guard at High Desert State Prison has been fired and faces battery with a deadly weapon charges for shooting an inmate.
Paul Herman Chaffee faces up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of the Category B felony charge.
According to the indictment issued by the Clark County Grand Jury, Chaffee shot inmate Donald Hixon with a shotgun at High Desert Prison on Dec. 5 2006. Hixon had to be hospitalized for treatment of his wounds.
There were several witnesses to the shooting but no further details were included in the two-page indictment. Prison officials said they couldn't comment further because the personnel case and criminal case are both still open.
Chaffee was fired as a correctional officer July 3 following an extensive investigation of the shooting. The attorney general's office is prosecuting the case.
Director of Corrections Howard Skolnik said the department aggressively investigates all allegations of misconduct by staff and takes appropriate disciplinary action.
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