Second inmate sentenced to 8 more years in prison for inmate's beating death
The second of three co-defendants found guilty of beating an inmate to death at Wasco State Prison was sentenced Wednesday in Kern County Superior Court to eight years in prison, in addition to his current prison term.
Joshua Mitchell, 45, was found guilty of assault by a prisoner by using force with the intent to cause great bodily injury, but was acquitted of first-degree murder. He was one of three inmates found guilty in the death of Michael Iverson at Wasco State Prison on March 7, 2022, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.
Iverson died of blunt force head and neck trauma after he was attacked the day he moved into the prison’s dormitory area, according to the DA. During the trial, a Kern County pathologist testified that Iverson’s injuries were “one of the worst cases of blunt force trauma” he has seen, according to the DA.
Along with Mitchell, Benjamin Kolehmainen, 30 and Tyler Douglass, 25, were found guilty of Iverson’s death. Both Kolehmainen and Douglass were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and assault by a prisoner by using force with the intent to cause great bodily injury.
Kolehmainen was sentenced in March to nine years in prison when Judge John Oglesby choose the midterm sentence. At the March 19 sentencing, Oglesby urged Kolehmainen not to make his criminal actions a long-term lifestyle.
Douglass' next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, when his attorney plans to present evidence for a Youth Offender Parole Hearing. These hearings are reserved for defendants under the age of 26 to evaluate the person's maturity, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
According to the DA, Douglass could face up to 25 years to life in prison for killing Iverson in addition to his current prison sentence.
