Inmate at Ironwood State Prison files racial bias claim against Imperial County

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) - An inmate at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, California has filed a racial bias claim against Imperial County.

Warren Lamar Berryman, 42, was convicted of murder back in 2005, and is serving 33 years to life in prison. Now, he is seeking relief under California's Racial Justice Act.

Berryman said his co-conspirators, who are Hispanic, got probation while he got a harsher sentence.

"It was easier to convict a black man, basically, and the Mexicans got off the hook. And that's what this racist justice is about because now, there's a racial bias clearly," Berryman expressed.

Berryman also said while one of his co-defendants got off, the other two were offered a deal.

"When we got bounded over together, we were all supposed to stand trial, and somehow, the D.A. decided to give the two brothers a deal to testify against me," Berryman shared.

Berryman is set to make a court appearance next month.

News 11 reached out to the Imperial County District Attorney's Office and to Berryman's attorney for a statement, and we're waiting to hear back.