State Prisoner Charged With Murder

The state Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has filed a capital murder charge against an inmate who killed another inmate when the doors to 78 cells at the Varner Supermax prison accidentally opened in December. Prosecuting Attorney Stevan B- Dalrymple filed the charge against 32-year-old Eric Thrower who was serving a life sentence for capital murder in the February 1996 shooting of Hot Springs police officer Chris Anderson. Dalrymple said the state will seek the death penalty against Thrower. Thrower is charged in the death of 51-year-old Jerry L- Ward who was found lying on cell floor face down and bloodied. Ward suffered blunt trauma to the head. When the cell doors opened on December 22, 19 of the 78 prisoners left their cells. Once the doors were shut, prison guards found Thrower in Ward`s cell. Ward was serving a total of 20 years for numerous convictions, including burglary, theft and weapons possession.