Young pleads guilty in beating of jail guard

Already serving multiple life prison terms over his role in four killings, Terrell Cochise Young has resolved what now is only a minor issue.

He pleaded guilty Thursday to battery by a prisoner and assault on an officer over a beating he gave to a Clark County Detention Center corrections officer in the county jail shortly after Young was pronounced guilty of four counts of murder and 10 other charges.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure sentenced Young to two years in prison but ordered that the terms run concurrently -- or at the same time -- with the life prison terms.

Officer Greg Reeves said the incident occurred shortly after a stun-belt -- essentially a remote controlled stun gun placed on dangerous defendants -- was removed and Young was changing his clothes.

Reeves said he was placing handcuffs on Young when the defendant whirled around and pummeled him to the ground.

Corrections Officer Christopher Leyba told how he raced to Reeves' aid and tackled the defendant as he was punching the officer in the head.

Leyba said Young then attacked him until he heard other officers approaching.

Reeves was alone with Young because other corrections officers were tussling in another area of the jail with Young's mother, who had attacked defense attorney Lew Wolfbrandt when the guilty verdict was announced.

archive