Arizona, 3 firms to bid on 3K prison beds

Trial Begins In Gruesome Federal Prison Slaying

DENVER -- Opening arguments were expected Monday morning in the trial of the first federal defendant facing the death penalty in Colorado since Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in 1997. William Sablan, 42, is charged with first-degree murder in the October 1999 death of Joey Jesus Estrella, 33, in their cell at the federal penitentiary in Florence, Colo. Sablan's cousin and cellmate, Rudy Sablan, also faces a first-degree murder charge, but his trial date hasn't been scheduled.

Prison officers call off action

An unofficial walkout by officers at an Edinburgh jail has been called off. Staff at the city's Saughton Prison decided on the action last week as they rejected a 2% pay offer from employers. About 95% of the Prison Officers Association (POA) members in Scotland turned down the deal on Friday. However, on Monday the union said the Edinburgh staff called off the action, and officials would be using the conciliation service Acas.

Youth jail faces death probe

Damaging questions about the treatment of teenagers in jail will be revealed this week during the inquest into how a 15-year-old boy died in custody after being restrained by three adult members of staff. Gareth Myatt lost consciousness after being held in a Home Office-approved armlock that has since been banned. He is the youngest person in living memory to die in such a way in a British prison.

Pepper-spraying of deputy leads to jail change

An incident in which a plainclothes deputy was mistaken for an inmate and pepper-sprayed during a fight has prompted a uniform change at the Multnomah County Detention Center. Plainclothes deputies in the booking area will soon start wearing shirts with "sheriff" printed in large letters on the back, officials said. During a Feb. 2 incident, uniformed jail deputies mistook a plainclothes deputy for an inmate and sprayed his face with pepper spray and pulled his hair.

Jail Riots Hit Bulgaria

(News.bg) -- A total of 186 prisoners, 40 from Sofia and 146 from Pazardjik protest today against a new law on amnesty. "Prisoners refuse to go back to their cells," Peter Vasiliev from the Ministry of Justice told reporters earlier today. "More and more people seem to follow suit," Mr Vasilev added. "We have reports of a jail riot in Pazardjik," he announced. "Prisoners there refused to eat and go to work," he added.

Inmate Hurt In Clearfield County Prison Fight

Security has been heightened and the Moshannon Valley Corrections Center remains on lockdown, after a Tuesday lunch-hour inmate fight. According to officials, at least one person was hurt and additional personnel had to be called in to help clear the scene.

Inmate Caught After 2nd Escape

Whitley City, KY An inmate who managed to escape from the McCreary County Detention Center Thursday night turned himself in Friday morning, just before noon. And this wasn't James Philpot's first escape from custody.

Inmate Denies Jail Attack on British Man

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — An inmate pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a jailhouse assault on a British man charged with fatally shooting his wife and infant daughter last year. Eben Howard, 33, is charged with one count of assault and battery against Neil Entwistle. Prosecutors say Howard kicked Entwistle in the stomach while they were outside their cells Dec. 20. Entwistle, 28, was not seriously hurt.

Disciplinary board finds corrections officer guilty

A police disciplinary board found a Kane County corrections officer guilty of warning inmates about a shakedown that led to an inmate death. After more than two days of testimony, the Kane County Sheriff’s Merit Commission Thursday found Jose Rivera guilty of insubordination for failing to take a polygraph test, lying to supervisors, conduct that can destroy the function and reputation of the office and violating the law by providing inmates information on a pending shakedown.

Prison officer seriously injured by charging bull - International Prison News

A PRISON officer has been seriously hurt when tossed two metres into the air by a bull at a prison farm south of Perth. The Department of Corrective Services (DCS) said the 56-year-old officer was leading the bull to a stockyard at the Karnet Prison Farm, near Serpentine, at about 7.30am (WDT) today when the animal charged him. "We believe that the bull was being led from one yard to another and it just turned on the officer, as bulls sometimes do, and the officer was actually thrown into the air by the bull," a DCS spokeswoman said.

1500 pay tribute to fallen prison guard - International Prison News

NSW prisons were locked down today as 1500 NSW prison officers attended a Sydney memorial service for Wayne Smith, the guard bashed to death by an inmate at Silverwater jail last month. Held at the Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy at Eastwood in Sydney's northwest, the service was also attended by Mr Smith's wife Rhonda, mother Kathleen and his two sons Nigel and Gavin.

Ex-prison officer sues after inmate spat at him - International Prison News

A FORMER Haverigg prison officer is suing the Home Office after an inmate spat in his face during a disturbance. Michael Pritchard, from Millom, is claiming more than £15,000 damages following a flare-up during a prisoner transfer in January 2003. It is understood that Mr Pritchard was moving a troublesome prisoner to Liverpool Prison in a hired minibus when trouble erupted.

London Prison Changes Direction of Toilets in Respect to Islamic Law - International Prison News

Toilets in one London prison are getting a face-lift — or rather, a change in direction — to accommodate Muslim inmates who can't use them while facing Mecca, a British newspaper reported. Government officials ackowledged using tax dollars for the changes to the facilities, but maintained that moving the toilets was part of "on-going refurbishment," according to an article in The Sun.

Guard Attacked at Federal Prison in Preston County

Officials say attacked happened Wednesday night at Hazelton Federal Prison. HAZELTON -- A correctional officer at the Hazelton Federal Prison in Preston County was attacked by an inmate. Prison officials said the incident happened about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday. The officer suffered multiple wounds to his upper torso and abdomen.

Inmate denies stabbing guard

A female inmate who stabbed a correctional officer twice in the face with a pencil during an escape attempt from the Redwood City Women's Correctional Center was arraigned Tuesday in San Mateo County Superior Court. According to San Mateo County Sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Lisa Williams, at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Michelle Denise Robinson, 36, of Oakland, attacked a female officer as she was being transported back to her cell from the facility's shower area.

Ex-border agent beaten in jail

A former U.S. Border Patrol agent who was convicted of shooting a drug smuggling suspect and then lying about it was beaten by fellow inmates in an El Paso, Texas, prison, his relatives and a congressman said. Prison officials issued a statement yesterday confirming that Ignacio Ramos was attacked Saturday night after his case was described in an episode of “America’s Most Wanted.” In a written statement, Traci Billingsley, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman, said Ramos suffered minor cuts and bruises in the assault. He had been moved to the Special Housing Unit at the Yazoo City federal prison in Yazoo City, Miss.

Grayson County Inmate Escape

An inmate who escaped Thursday morning from custody in Grayson County after facing only one day behind bars is back in custody. After searching for four hours, authorities discovered the inmate inside an apartment in Sherman.

Inmate arraigned in jail attack

A mentally unstable man accused of a jailhouse attack on Neil Entwistle, the British man accused of murdering his wife and infant daughter in their Hopkinton home, was ordered held yesterday on $10,000 bail. The attack happened on Dec. 20 during a cell search as Eben Sewall Howard, 33, was standing outside his cell in the Middlesex Jail in Cambridge along with Entwistle. As officers searched the cells, Howard "calmly threw a kick at Entwistle's abdomen," according to the incident report by one of the guards.

Young inmates cause havoc in four-hour van disturbance - International Prison News

TWO teenage inmates caused chaos in a prison yesterday, after they climbed onto the roof of a large truck and refused the pleas of officers to come down. The youths spent four hours in near-freezing conditions on top of the vehicle, at Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, before being persuaded to come down by trained negotiators.

Goulburn Gaol on lockdown today for prison guard funeral - International Prison News

Prisoners in Goulburn Gaol were under lockdown today so corrective service officers could attend the funeral of Wayne Smith, the guard who was beaten to death by a Silverwater prison inmate in January. It was a similar story at other gaols across New South Wales as 1500 prison guards attended Smith's funeral at the Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy in Sydney.

Union assails prisons after inmate attack

Leader says state classifying some as low-risk to cut costs - MARQUETTE - A recent attack on a nurse at Marquette Branch Prison suggests officials are classifying dangerous criminals as low-risk to save money, a union leader said. A spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections denied the allegation. State police are investigating reports that a 57-year-old rapist assaulted the female nurse last Saturday during an examination for abdominal pain. No charges have been filed.

2 officers injured in stabbing

Investigation is continuing into a stabbing which took place at the central unit of the El Dorado Correctional Facility. EDCF spokesman Dale Call said the incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. Thursday in the prison's B cell house segregation unit. In addition to one correctional officer being stabbed several times, he said, another officer who came to assist that officer was battered.

Former Border Patrol Agent Beaten in Mississippi Prison

A former U.S. Border Patrol agent convicted of shooting a drug smuggling suspect and covering it up is in segregation now in a Mississippi prison, after fellow inmates assaulted him on Saturday night. Ignacio Ramos started serving his term on Jan. 17, then was transferred to the correctional facility in Yazoo City, Miss., about a week ago. "His first words were, 'They got me, Monica, they got me good.'" said Monica Ramos, the agent's wife.

Beaten Inmate Transferred to Yazoo City

EL PASO, Texas -- A former Border Patrol agent in the El Paso area is recovering after a beating in prison by fellow inmates. Prison officials confirm Ignacio Ramos was attacked late Saturday and suffered minor cuts and bruises. He's been moved to the Special Housing Unit at the federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Inmate escape prompts changes in Harford Co.

Sheriff's office purchases 'black boxes,' looks into security cameras - The Harford County Sheriff's Office is planning security upgrades in response to the escape of an inmate last month. The office recently purchased two dozen "black boxes," plastic devices used in conjunction with handcuffs to restrict wrist movement, said Lt. James Eyler, a sheriff's spokesman. And the office is looking to buy security cameras and television screens to be installed in transport vehicles.

Bay Area Fem Inmate Stabs Guard's Face With Pencil

REDWOOD CITY A female inmate who stabbed a correctional officer twice in the face with a pencil during an escape attempt from the Redwood City Women's Correctional Center was arraigned Tuesday in San Mateo County Superior Court. According to San Mateo County sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Lisa Williams, at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Michelle Denise Robinson, 36, of Oakland, attacked a female officer as she was being transported back to her cell from the facility's shower area.

Prison Officers Take Action

There were major setbacks in prison and court operations on Wednesday as prison officers demonstrated exactly how frustrated they were about what they called the government’s refusal to address their concerns. They were performing only their specific duties. The Bahama Journal initially received reports indicating that Her Majesty’s Prison was on lockdown and some police officers waiting to escort prisoners to the various courts through Bank Lane said as much.

Stabbing sheds light on need for new jail

The San Mateo County Women’s Correctional Facility is more that 150 percent over capacity and a new facility should be built soon to maintain safety and provide better programs for prisoners, Sheriff Greg Munks said yesterday. The facility, at 1590 Maple St. in Redwood City, consistently holds about between 140 and 170 inmates while it is rated by the State Board of Corrections for 84. It opened in 1982 as an unsafe dorm-style facility, which can put inmates and employees in danger, Munks said.

Ex-Border Patrol Agent in Prison for Shooting Mexican Drug Runner Assaulted by Inmates

One of two former Border Patrol agents sentenced to more than a decade in prison for shooting and wounding a suspected Mexican drug smuggler was beaten by a group of inmates last weekend, a Texas congressman confirmed Tuesday to FOXNews.com. Ignacio Ramos, who was transferred to the Yazoo City Federal Correctional Complex in Mississippi last month to begin serving his 12-year sentence for the February 2005 shooting of Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, was placed in a special housing unit after the incident pending an investigation, according to T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council.

Prison officer was attacked by inmate

A LONG-SERVING prison officer considered quitting his job following an attack by a young inmate, a court heard. Gavin Hannam, 20, turned on Graham Kevin Crewe when he intervened to stop him assaulting another inmate at Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, in Barnard Castle, County Durham. Mr Crewe was punched three times and head-butted by Hannam, who had to restrained and handcuffed by other officers.

Inmate stabs guard in escape attempt

Pencil used in assault on correctional officer - A sheriff's office guard was stabbed twice in the face Sunday evening during an inmate's attempt to escape from the Women's Correctional Center in Redwood City. The inmate, Michelle Denise Robinson, 36, of Oakland, surprised a correctional officer who was escorting her from the shower area to her cell, sheriff's officials said in a press release. Robinson allegedly turned on the officer, grabbed her head and hair, tried to grab the guard's keys and stabbed the officer with a pencil twice in the face, according to the release.

Inmate settles case for $120,000

PROVIDENCE — A former inmate at the Adult Correctional Institutions who accused a guard of forcing him to taste his own feces and of striking him with a telephone book has accepted a $120,000 settlement from the state. Jim Lee, chief of Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch’s civil division, said the state cut the check Dec. 7 to ex-inmate Michael Walsh, of East Providence. Two days later, Walsh dropped his lawsuit against the state.

Second Fairfield Co. inmate treated for heroin use

LANCASTER - The second inmate in one week was treated for using heroin in the Fairfield County Jail. Marilyn L. Meadows, 54, of Lancaster, was taken by deputies to Fairfield Medical Center early Saturday morning. She since has been returned to the jail on Wheeling Street. Officers only discovered a male inmate high on heroin a week ago today. He apparently used the drug while in jail.

Jail will be locked down

The Regina Correctional Centre is expected to remain in lockdown for several days as formerly striking provincial correctional workers settle back into their jobs. Late last week, an agreement was reached between the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) and the provincial government that would return to work 1,340 striking union members. That return-to-work agreement effectively brings the 44-day strike to an end, meaning workers from Corrections, Environment, Justice, Saskatchewan Property Management and Finance put away their picket signs and prepared to return to work. A government spokesman had said he expected full service to be restored by today.

Fire forces jail evacuation in Campbell County

For the second time in two months, a fire at the old Campbell County jail forced officials to evacuate the building. The sheriff says some clothes caught on fire in the jail's laundry room at around 9:15 p.m. Monday night.

Woman's jail escape denied

A female inmate stabbed a correctional officer twice in the face with a pencil before being restrained during an escape attempt at the Women’s Correctional Center in Redwood City Sunday evening, a San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said Monday. Michelle Denise Robinson, 36, of Oakland, attacked a correctional officer as she was being transported back to her cell from the facility’s shower area at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a report released yesterday by Lt. Lisa Williams of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Another officer sustained minor abrasions to her face and arms, the report said.

Prison violence soars by 600%

New figures released today show that prison violence has soared 600% in a decade - as the government appeared to be fighting moves to make prison governors liable for deaths in jails. The home secretary, John Reid, revealed that violent incidents in British jails - now at maximum capacity - had reached nearly 14,000 a year, up from 2,342 in 1996. Meanwhile, peers in the House of Lords debating new manslaughter legislation today are expected to extend the bill to cover deaths in jail.

Prison staff bashed in prison

Two Hawke's Bay Prison corrections officers injured after being assaulted by prisoners yesterday morning have told their boss they want to return to work immediately. Hawke's Bay Prison staff were trying to come to terms with the sudden death of a work mate yesterday morning when the assaults occurred at the prison. Cyclist John David McKay, 52, of Hastings, who worked as a corrections officer at the prison, was killed in a collision involving a car on the Hawke's Bay Expressway at 6am yesterday.

Md. corrections officer rescues van driver

A night-duty corrections officer at the Patuxent Institution single-handedly subdued a man whose vehicle rammed a van several times and then chased it to the front of the detention facility early yesterday, state police and corrections officials said.
Sgt. Arthur Betts of the Maryland State Police said the driver was taken to Howard County General Hospital for a mental evaluation. He has not been charged.

Jail will be locked down

SGEU members gather around a bonfire in front of the Regina Correctional Centre, discussing details of a tentative deal that has been reached with the Government of Saskatchewan. The Regina Correctional Centre is expected to remain in lockdown for several days as formerly striking provincial correctional workers settle back into their jobs.

Prison guard pleads guilty in heroin contraband case

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. A guard at a state prison in northern New York has pleaded guilty to attempting to deliver narcotics to the correctional facility where he worked. Thirty-four-year-old Michael Bradish of Plattsburgh entered his guilty plea recently as part of a prison contraband investigation that has seen several other corrections officers resign or get fired by the state Department of Corrections.

JCSO deputy injured by inmate to have surgery

Johnson County sheriff’s corrections officer George Azevedo, 61, who suffered injuries when an inmate attempted to escape from the Johnson County Corrections Center on Jan. 24, will undergo surgery once swelling around his eye and face goes down, Sheriff Bob Alford said. Following surgery and about three weeks recovery time, Alford said Azevedo will likely return to work.

Three R.I. prison guards found guilty of inmate abuse

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A district court judge finds three prison guards guilty of abusing an inmate. Captain Gualter Botas, Lieutenant Kenneth Viveiros and Officer Ernesto Spaziano were each charged with simple assault for allegedly striking inmate Jose Gonzalez. District Court Judge Madeline Quirk says she found the prisoner's testimony more credible than the guards.

Reid threatens court action as dispute puts jail crisis plans at risk

John Reid last night threatened court action against the prison officers' union in a dispute which may derail his plans to open new prison accommodation to cope with the jail population crisis. The dispute is over the knock-on effects of redeploying prison officers to staff the new HMP Kennet, which is to be converted from an old wing of Ashworth special hospital, Merseyside, at a cost of £19m within the next three months as an emergency measure.

Three guards injured during jail escape attempt

A 49-year-old inmate injured three guards while trying to escape from the Johnson County Corrections Center, authorities said. Brian Lee Hollowell complained of dizzy spells and asked to see a nurse Monday about 10 p.m., but then attacked a corrections officer as the two walked to the nurses station, Sheriff Bob Alford said. Hollowell beat the 61-year-old guard in the face with a hand-held radio and knocked him out, then put on the guard's bloodstained uniform, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Hostage in 2004 prison siege now helps other ordeal survivors

On the third anniversary of her release from the longest prison siege in U.S. history, Lois Fraley was back in Phoenix to talk about a new foundation that bears her name and a new book about her 15-day ordeal. On Wednesday, she visited the Lewis Prison near Buckeye, where in 2004, she and a fellow correctional officer were held hostage in a guard tower by inmates Ricky Wassenaar and Steven Coy, who were attempting to escape. "It's the first I've been back in two years," she said. "I start feeling a lot of the emotions, just like before, like I was still up in the tower."

Two Jessup inmates hospitalized with stab wounds

Three prisoners attack both men with homemade weapons - Two inmates were treated at area hospitals after being stabbed during a fight at the Maryland House of Corrections in Jessup early today, a Division of Corrections spokesman said. The inmates, both 23-year-old-men, were attacked by three other inmates using homemade weapons around 3:45 a.m., said the spokesman, George Gregory.

Juarez Inmate Stabbed To Death

February 3, 2007 -- A Juarez man in Cereso Prison is stabbed to death. The El Paso Times reported that a group of inmates in a cell surrounded Rafael Mandujano Ramirez on Friday. According to Cereso prisons director, when they moved away from him, his body was on the floor in a puddle of blood.

Prisons inspector criticises round-up of freed foreign inmates - International Prison News

The way in which the round-up of foreign prisoners who had been released without being considered for deportation was carried out has been sharply criticised by Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons. She says that some of those who were detained and told they would be deported were British, while others have lived for decades in this country and have not committed offences serious enough to qualify for expulsion. They are believed to be among the 1,300 foreign nationals who are now being held in prisons and immigration removal centres across England and Wales long after the end of their sentences whilst complex legal deportation procedures are gone through.

Escaped inmate found in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A Roanoke County-Salem Jail inmate who escaped more than two weeks ago was captured Saturday afternoon. Adrian Eric Cox, 46, was found at a motel in Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to a news release from the Salem Police Department. Myrtle Beach police officers found a stolen Roanoke County Sheriff's Office vehicle in the parking lot of the motel and apprehended Cox, the release stated. It is unknown how long Cox had been at the motel.

State officials investigating officer-involved fatal shooting in NCCo

Corrections officials, State Police and the AG’s office are still investigating the incident, but say an inmate who escaped from the Plummer Work Release Center was shot by Probation and Parole officers early Friday morning. Ricky Hamby was found in a pickup truck in Bear yesterday after he failed to return to Plummer.

Ex-guard returns again to prison where she was held hostage

PHOENIX -- A former female correctional officer who was held captive in one of the longest prison sieges in U.S. history has returned again to the scene of the ordeal. Lois Fraley on Wednesday visited the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis near Buckeye, where she and a male guard were held hostage in a guard tower in 2004 by two inmates who were attempting to escape.

US convict who escaped from prison in dog crate gets 130 more months

LEAVENWORTH, Kansas: The inmate who escaped from prison in a dog crate has had more than 10 years added to the sentence he was already serving for murder, according to a media report. John Manard was sentenced Friday morning to 10 years and 10 months in prison for aggravated escape from prison, The Kansas City Star reported.

Inmate ingested narcotics, preliminary autopsy shows

St. Robert police have released preliminary autopsy reports on the Jan. 30 death of an inmate in their department’s custody. According to a police press release, James King, who had been held on charges for possession of a controlled substance and was awaiting transfer to the Pulaski County Jail, had been found to have “a foreign substance believed to be a plastic baggie and a measurable amount of what is believed to be narcotics” in his digestive tract.

Edgecombe Escapee May Face More Charges

Inmate Faces Charges for Escape, Manhunt - Saratoga — Authorities filed numerous charges Tuesday against an Edgecombe County inmate who led them on an afternoon manhunt and may add more charges on Wednesday. Police said Austin Reid Pittman, 26, escaped while receiving medical treatment at a hospital. They apprehended him following a search of farms and woods in southeastern Wilson County, near the Edgecombe and Wilson county line. The state Highway Patrol helicopter and K-9 units assisted in the search.

Jail guard, left alone, is beaten by inmate

Allegheny County Jail officials are investigating why an officer was left alone for more than two minutes Wednesday while an inmate pummeled him. The inmate, identified as Anthony Tusweet Smith, 28, had recently been let out after six months of confinement in his cell. Warden Ramon Rustin said the jail administration is looking into why backup for the correctional officer was delayed. He said if a backup officer had been on the same floor, he would have been inside the unit to help the attacked officer within seconds.

Guard drain strains Tucson prisons

20 state correctional officers applying at higher-paying federal complex - federal penitentiary is set to open on the Southeast Side and the promise of higher pay has lured corrections officers from the State Prison Complex across the street, aggravating an ongoing officer shortage. The penitentiary joins an existing medium-security Federal Correctional Institution and a minimum-security Satellite Prison Camp — both already in operation — at the Federal Correctional Complex on Wilmot Road south of Interstate 10.

Dothan City Jail Lockdown

Everything is back to normal at the Dothan City Jail after a suspicious white powder found inside an envelope sent to the jail; forced police to put the jail on lockdown. Authorities say when one of the jail guards opened the envelope; a white powder shot out and spilled onto him and onto the counter.

False charges anger prison officer

WINDSOR - A female inmate who admitted to making up allegations that she was repeatedly raped and drugged by a male guard at the Southeast State Correctional Facility will spend up to another six months behind bars as a consequence. Pamela Yandow, 34, who has since been transferred to another women's facility in Waterbury, was sentenced to an additional three-to-six months time beyond her current sentence after she pleaded guilty Wednesday to giving false information to the law enforcement officers who were investigating her claims of abuse.

Lockdown lifted at Indiana State Prison cellblock

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. - A lockdown of a cellblock at Indiana State Prison has been lifted after prison officials identified those involved in a fight last week. Cellblock B, which houses about 300 inmates, was on lockdown from Friday until Tuesday following the fight involving inmates from rival gangs. Prison officials say no one was seriously injured.

Muslim rebels storm Philippine jail; 46 escape - International Prison News

MANILA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Suspected Muslim rebels stormed a jail in the southern Philippines early on Friday with grenades and rockets, blasted a hole in its wall and helped 46 prisoners escape, authorities said. Some of those who escaped were men arrested for bomb blasts in the volatile Mindanao region of the south, where at least four Islamic separatist groups operate.

Man found hanged in Preston prison

A PRISONER has been found hanged in his cell at HMP Preston, the Home Office said. Abass Usman, 26, originally from Nigeria, was found by prison officers on Monday. He was on remand from Manchester Crown Court accused of deception by using false documents and had been in jail for five days. Usman, believed to have been living in the Manchester area, was found hanging in his cell at 4.40pm.

Three inmates on trial for alleged inmate abuse

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Three state prison guards are being tried this week on charges that they assaulted an inmate they were questioning. Captain Gualter Botas, Lieutenant Kenneth Viveiros and Ernest Spaziano have each been charged with misdemeanor simple assault for allegedly roughing up Jose Gonzalez, then an inmate, in Botas' office. Botas is also charged with two counts of simple assault.

Jailbreak try in Negros Occ; 1 killed, 6 wounded

At least one inmate was killed while six persons including three jail guards were wounded in a jailbreak attempt in Negros Occidental province earlier this week. Radio dzBB reported Friday morning that the incident took place at the San Carlos City Jail, but it was not immediately clear if the incident took place Wednesday or Thursday night.

Prisons could open area to real gangs seeking drug market

This letter is in response to the article and responses that addressed the gangs in our city of Cumberland. I am a corrections officer for the great state of Maryland and have some hands-on experience in dealing with the people that all of us are about to become very acquainted with, whether we like it or not. I could not believe the lack of concern that was presented in the paper as a response. Unless you haven't been keeping up with current events lately, our little city's main industry right now just happens to be prisons, we are surrounded by them. We now have a medium and a maximum security state prison, a medium security federal prison and a good sized county jail right in our city. Not to mention that we have at least five others within a 70-mile radius. Do those prisons have big city gang problems? You better believe it.

Three prison guards on trial in alleged assault of ACI inmate

Defense attorney John Lynch Jr., right, confers with Lt. Kenneth J. Viveiros, left, and Capt. Gualter Botas, two of three state correctional officers charged with simple assault. PROVIDENCE — Three state prison guards are on trial this week on charges that they assaulted an inmate that they were questioning in the minimum-security unit of the Adult Correctional Institutions last winter. The guards, Capt. Gualter Botas, 38, of Pawtucket; Lt. Kenneth J. Viveiros, of North Providence; and Officer Ernest Spaziano, 38, of Burrillville, have each been charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor, for allegedly roughing up Jose Gonzalez, then an inmate, in Botas’ office.

Guard held 15 days in prison ordeal writes book

PHOENIX As the minutes, hours and days ticked by, what was going through the mind of former Arizona Department of Corrections Officer Lois Fraley? The woman held hostage by two dangerous inmates has written a book about the ordeal.
Fraley's book, Hostage: 15 Days in Hell, is a detailed chronology of the prison siege three years ago. Fraley was working a night shift at the Lewis Prison near Buckeye.

Prison guard kills himself in Greenhaven guard tower - NYDOC Officer Down Special Coverage

Stormville – A 34-year-old male corrections officer with nearly 10 years on the job shot and killed himself while in the guard tower to which he was assigned Wednesday night. Department of Correctional Services spokeswoman Linda Foglia said the guard’s wife called the prison to express concern for his wellbeing and when staff went to the tower at 10:30 p.m., about a half hour before his shift was to begin, they could not enter through the hatch because of the weight of his body on it.

Green Haven guard commits suicide at work - NYDOC Officer Down Special Coverage

STORMVILLE — A corrections officer committed suicide late Wednesday night at Green Haven Correctional Facility, the first such incident anyone in the state Department of Correctional Services could recall, a department spokeswoman said. The 34-year-old man used his department issued weapon to kill himself, and his body was found inside a guard tower after his wife called, concerned about his state of mind, spokeswoman Linda Foglia said.

Inmate transport van crashes on I-25 near Wagon Mound

WAGON MOUND, N.M. - State police say an inmate and a guard were seriously injured when the van they were in crashed on Interstate 25 near Wagon Mound. Lieutenant Rick Anglada says the van was carrying ten inmates and four guards when it rolled Wednesday afternoon.

Stillwater prison death ruled suicide - MNDOC Officer Down Follow Up

BAYPORT, Minn. - The weekend death of a guard at the Stillwater state prison was a suicide, corrections officials said Monday. He was identified as corrections officer Steven J. Jensen, 41, who had worked at Stillwater since 1989. He died of a single self-inflicted shotgun wound, said Shari Burt, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections.
Jensen died shortly before his shift was to begin at 6 a.m. Sunday. No inmates were involved and no foul play was suspected, officials said.

Jailbreak try in Negros Occ; 1 killed, 6 hurt - International Prison News

At least one inmate was killed while six persons including three jail guards were wounded in a jailbreak attempt in Negros Occidental province earlier this week. Radio dzBB reported Friday morning that the incident took place at the San Carlos City Jail, but it was not immediately clear if the incident took place Wednesday or Thursday night.

Inmate hurt in fight identified

An inmate who was injured Tuesday in a fight in the Baxter County jail has been identified. The Bulletinfirst reported the incident Wednesday. Howard Johnson, 47, was taken to the Baxter Regional Medical Center for a broken jaw and was transferred to St. John's Medical Center in Springfield, Mo., said Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery.

Inmate gets life in fatal stabbing inside Jessup prison

The sentence is life without parole for state prison inmate convicted of killing another prisoner. Thirty-seven-year-old Kenneth Higgins was convicted in December of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Brian Wilson. Higgins was sentenced yesterday. Prosecutors say he was a leader in a prison gang.

What's wrong at the Department of Corrections?

SEATTLE - Three local police officers have been killed recently, and one thread links all three deaths. In each case, the suspect was a convict on probation, and each one supervised by the State Department of Corrections. KOMO 4 News tried repeatedly to get the Department of Corrections to talk to us, even sending them a list of our questions.

Guards hurt in escape attempt

A 49-year-old inmate attempted to escape Monday night from the Johnson County Corrections Center in Cleburne, sending two guards to the hospital and injuring a third, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office. Brian Lee Hollowell complained of dizzy spells and asked to see the nurse about 10 p.m., Sheriff Bob Alford said. He attacked corrections officer George Azevedo, 61, as the two walked from the housing area to the nurse’s station, according to the release.

Three guards hurt in thwarted Cleburne jailbreak

CLEBURNE – A 49-year-old inmate injured three guards while trying to escape from the Johnson County Corrections Center, authorities said. Brian Lee Hollowell complained of dizzy spells and asked to see a nurse Monday about 10 p.m., but then attacked a corrections officer as the two walked to the nurses station, Sheriff Bob Alford said. Hollowell beat the 61-year-old guard in the face with a hand-held radio and knocked him out, then put on the guard's bloodstained uniform, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Prison guard commits suicide, DOC officials say similar incident hasn't happened in recent memory

BAYPORT - A 41-year-old man committed suicide shortly before beginning his usual shift Sunday morning at the medium-security Stillwater prison in Bayport. Stephen John Jensen was found dead at about 5:20 a.m., apparently from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head, according to police reports. Jensen was to begin to his shift at 6 a.m. and was not around any inmates during the shooting, Minnesota Department of Corrections information officer Shari Burt said.

Cellblock on lockdown after fight that injured 2

Michigan City -- An Indiana State Prison cellblock remained on lockdown for a fifth day Tuesday after a fight involving inmates belonging to rival gangs, a prison spokesman said. Cellblock B, which houses about 300 inmates, was to remain on lockdown indefinitely while prison officials continued their investigation into the Thursday night fight in which two prisoners suffered injuries serious enough to require hospital treatment.

Female death row inmate has brain damage, neurologist says"

Death row inmate Christa Gail Pike, sentenced to die in the murder of a job-training student, has brain damage, according to the testimony of a neurologist who examined her. Defense witness Dr. Jonathan Pincus told a judge Monday that the portions of Pike's brain that control social judgment and decision-making "aren't put together properly." "It's like her brakes are not working," Pincus said.

2 escapees are back in Pierce jail after 13 hours free

The men were apprehended in separate counties within 10 minutes of each other. - A convicted killer and a fellow inmate were recaptured separately Wednesday afternoon after escaping together about 13 hours earlier from the Pierce County Jail in Blackshear, triggering a multi-agency police manhunt. Alix Dewayne Taylor Jr., 24, of Patterson and James Clay Taylor, 23, of Coffee County were unarmed when apprehended without incident four counties away from each other during a 10-minute span.

Prison disturbance investigated

A police investigation has begun after a disturbance at Dovegate Prison near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire.
About 30 prisoners set bins alight and smashed TVs after inmates refused to return to their cells on Monday night. The disturbance lasted six hours and was brought to an end after 120 officers were brought in from other prisons, including Stafford.

Inmate’s prison trip delays sentencing

BLOOMINGTON -- The wheels of justice stalled Wednesday after it was discovered a repeat offender awaiting sentencing on his 10th felony and trial on other charges was sitting in a prison cell more than two hours away. Assistant State’s Attorney Pablo Eves said overcrowding at the McLean County jail may have contributed to the delay in proceedings against Andrew Pinkston. “It was just an absurdity of the industrial prison complex versus one single felony courtroom,” Eves said after a long day in the courtroom.

Law officers search for inmate who escaped Maryland lockup

Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are searching for an inmate who escaped from Maryland last week. The inmate, 31-year-old Terrence Washington, is believed to have stolen at least two pickup trucks, including one in the Auburn area. Police recovered one vehicle on Interstate 85 Friday evening - that vehicle was stolen in Maryland.

Warnings about jail conditions ignored, says chief inspector

Prison riot came hours after report - The prison watchdog accused the Home Office yesterday of failing to carry out proper planning to provide enough space in jails, resulting in offenders sleeping in court cells. Anne Owers said that without proper resources and management offenders would simply be recycled in and out of jails through a perpetually revolving door. In her most scathing criticism since becoming Chief Inspector of Prisons five years ago, Ms Owers accused ministers of trying to build an ark after the flood. She said that a huge increase in prison numbers and lack of cash was an “alarming and potentially extremely damaging combination” for the jail service in England and Wales.

Police: Inmate caught using phony ID in escape attempt

An inmate was arrested Monday after police say he tried to escape from the Arrestee Processing Center by presenting a phony identification bracelet to officers there. Steven A. Dotson, 32, was being booked into the center about 6:25 p.m. when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police say he presented a hospital identification bracelet with another man's name and claimed he was supposed to be released.

Inmate Who Hid Key Convicted

OMAHA, Neb. -- A convicted rapist who tried to escape by hiding a handcuff key inside his body was found guilty on Wednesday. Damon Fitzgerald was convicted of four counts of assault and weapons charges. Prosecutors said Fitzgerald got into a fight with Douglas County Corrections Department officers last summer. During that fight, records show, Fitzgerald stole a key and hid it from corrections officials for a month.

Sergeant lied about fondling inmate, detective testifies

Tower is accused of rape at halfway house - A detective testified yesterday that former sergeant Douglas Tower lied to the police about fondling an inmate and then said the acts were consensual. Tower, 62, is accused of raping and assaulting 13 inmates in 2004 and 2005 when he worked at the all-female Shea Farm halfway house in Concord. His cases will be tried separately, and he is currently facing 10 charges of rape and sexual assault against a 23-year-old woman.

Jailer hospitalized after inmate attack

A guard at the Johnson County Jail was hospitalized late Monday after he was beaten with his own hand-held radio by an inmate who was trying to escape, according to reports. Two other guards were also injured in the attack, said Cpl. Pam Jetsel, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department. George Azevedo, 61, suffered a concussion, a fractured eye socket and numerous cuts and bruises, Jetsel said.

State prison cellblock on lockdown

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- An Indiana State Prison cellblock remained on lockdown for a fifth day Tuesday after a fight involving several inmates belonging to rival gangs, a prison spokesman said. Cellblock B, which houses about 300 inmates, was to remain on lockdown indefinitely while prison officials continued their investigation into the Thursday night fight in which two prisoners suffered injuries serious enough to require hospital treatment.

Jail Overcrowding Concerns in Sedgwick

Jail Overcrowding - The problem of inmate overcrowding is getting worse in the Sedgwick County Jail. Monday at the Sedgwick County Zoo, county officials met with city and law enforcement leaders to get some feedback on their proposal to make local towns to pay a fee for using jail space.

Off-Duty New York Corrections Officer Shot in Hold-Up

A city correction officer was shot and wounded during a hold-up at a Brooklyn auto store last night, police said. The 32-year-old officer was inside New Horizon Automotive on Atlantic Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant when two bandits strode in and announced a stick-up shortly before 7 p.m.

Prison disturbance investigated

A police investigation has begun after a disturbance at Dovegate Prison near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire. About 30 prisoners set bins alight and smashed TVs after inmates refused to return to their cells on Monday night. The disturbance lasted six hours and was brought to an end after 120 officers were brought in from other prisons, including Stafford.

Jailhouse roof rocks - International Prison News

FOUR high-risk prisoners, including an accused murderer and armed robber, spent hours roaming unsupervised across a jail rooftop yesterday. The prisoners, on remand at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, spent the afternoon sunning themselves, smoking cigarettes and skylarking for television helicopter crews from the corrugated iron roof in the exercise yard of the prison, in Brisbane's outer west. They broke away from a group of eight prisoners who were walking unsupervised to a medical centre in the prison at about 12.30pm.

High-risk prisoners skylark in roof stunt - International Prison News

FOUR high-risk prisoners, including an accused murderer and armed robber, spent hours roaming unsupervised across a jail rooftop yesterday. The prisoners, on remand at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre in Qeeensland, spent the afternoon sunning themselves, smoking cigarettes and skylarking for television helicopter crews from the corrugated iron roof in the exercise yard of the prison, in Brisbane's outer west.

FM inmate's attack on wife on visiting day results in charges

FORT MADISON - An inmate in the state penitentiary who attacked his wife inside the prison walls has been charged with attempted murder and attempted sexual assault. “It was a very heavy visiting day,” said Ron Welder, Iowa State Penitentiary correctional services manager. “It was the day before Christmas.”

Update: Jail escapee caught in Riverside area

An inmate who escaped from Mesa County Jail earlier today was in police custody as of 1:10 p.m. Jesus Holguin, 25, was taken into custody at 530 Fairview Ave. in the Riverside area. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Department aired an attempt to locate at 12:40 p.m. for the inmate. Initial reports indicated he escaped from the kitchen area of the jail. Holguin was described as 5-foot-7 and wearing tan clothing, although dispatchers indicated he may have taken off his clothing. He was seen crossing the railroad tracks and running into the Riverside neighborhood. It was not believed Holguin was armed.

State settles lawsuit with family of beaten inmate - International Prison News

MIAMI: The family of an inmate who died after a fight with prison guards has won a $737,500 (€568,532) settlement against the guards and the former state prisons chief. Frank Valdes died in 1999 after he was attacked in the Florida State Prison. An autopsy showed many broken ribs, fractures and internal injuries. The guards were later acquitted, or charges against them were dropped.