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News in Brief:
Alabama: On August 21, 2006, Baldwin county jail guard Jorge Quezada, 20, was fired for failing to monitor jail prisoner Ross Paul Yates who died after being handcuffed to a wall for several hours.
Arkansas: On October 12, 2006, Michael Bolton, 25, a prisoner at the East Arkansas Regional Unit in Brickys was stabbed and killed during a fight with fellow prisoner Dale Pierce, 26.
Brazil: In July, 2006, the nation?s judiciary ordered that cell phone blockers be installed in the nation?s prisons and jails to impede cell phone communication among prison gangs. The order was given by Judge Ritinha Stevenson of the 20th Federal Civil Court in Sao Paulo.
California: In September, 2006, the Amador county board of supervisors denied a Department of Corrections request to add 400 more prisoners to the Mule Creek State Prison citing the prison?s inability to handle the sewage generated by prison now. Julio Guera, the operator of the city?s wastewater treatment plant recently toured the prison sewage treatment facility and called it ?hopelessly overloaded.?
Connecticut: On April 9, 2006, George Smith, a guard at the Janet York Correctional Institution for women was charged with sexually assaulting a female prisoner in a closet in February, 2006. Smith was released on bond to await trial.
Curacao: In September, 2006, prisoners at the Bon Futuro Prison went on a hunger and work strike to protest the lack of conjugal visits with their girlfriends and wives, noting such visits are the norm in most Latin American countries and the Caribbean.
Delaware: On July 8, 2006, Earle Nelson, 49, a guard at Sussex Correctional Institution was arrested and charged with third degree assault for assaulting and pepper spraying an unidentified 18 year old prisoner at the facility during a cell search.
Georgia: On September 21, 2006, a DeKalb county jury acquitted jail prisoner Jason Smith, 26, of the murder of fellow prisoner Hoyt Jenkins, 71, in 2004. Jenkins was a schizophrenic with a history of making racist remarks and threats against blacks who had been jailed for threatening to stab police after being pulled over for driving without a tag. He was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and was awaiting transfer to a mental hospital when he was killed. For his part, Smith is mentally ill and delusional as well and was in the jail after calling police and demanding to be jailed for marijuana possession because he believed someone wanted to kill him. Police obliged. Smith claimed that Jenkins attacked him and attorneys also argued that jailers fabricated evidence to cover up their negligence in allowing the attack to continue and result in Jenkins? death.
Indiana: On September 20, 2006, Octavious Tyler, 25, a guard at the Indianapolis Juvenile Facility was arrested and charged with having sexual contact with one of the female children at the facility.
Jamaica: On April 18, 2006, St. James police superintendent Warren Clarke confirmed that an unidentified jail guard set fire to a prisoner in his cell after the prisoner called him a homosexual. Clarke said the guard had been fired. The prisoner was recuperating in a hospital after suffering extensive burns to his face and back.
Louisiana: On September 22, 2006, former deputy city attorney Henry Dillon, 49, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court after being convicted of raping two women in his office.
Michigan: On September 22, 2006, an unidentified 47 year old prison guard was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting and prostituting his 26 year old daughter. The daughter has pleaded guilty to prostitution charges.
Montana: On July 8, 2006, Anthony Spragg, 38, a jail guard at the Cascade County jail, was arrested on charges of raping a female prisoner at the facility on at least here different occasions.
New Mexico: In early July, 2006, Gary Adkins, 47, a guard at the Roosevelt county jail in Clovis was sentenced to five years in prison for raping a 24 year old female jail prisoner incarcerated for a probation violation.
Nigeria: On August 25, 2006, the government released 10,000 prisoners as part of its prison reform program. The bulk of the released prisoners were pre trial detainees being held on minor property offenses.
North Carolina: On August 9, 2006, Edith Pope, 49, the former assistant superintendent of programs at the Craggy Correctional Center was sentenced to 22 to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with Shane Smith, a prisoner serving a life sentence for second degree murder, arson and burglary who was employed as her office assistant. Pope?s husband discovered the affair and reported it to law enforcement officials. Pope blamed affair on bi polar disorder and an unnamed prescription drug that ?can increase sexual desire.?
North Carolina: On October 2, 2006, Terry Grice, 32, a prisoner on the Halifax County prison farm fell off his horse while herding cattle, into a pond and drowned. Grice fell after a bull charged his horse.
Oklahoma: On September 15, 2006, Webster Thomas, 33, a temporary guard at a juvenile prison in Sand Springs was charged with two felony counts of abusing a minor for striking and choking one child and hitting another child in the ribs at the prison.
Oregon: On September 20, 2006, James Earl Price, 34, a guard at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a women?s prison, was arrested and charged with raping a female prisoner over a three month period.
Peru: On October 13, 2006, Abimael Guzman, 71, the founder and chairman of the Communist Party of Peru was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of ?aggravated terrorism? for launching an armed struggle for state power in 1980. He was captured in 1992 and sentenced to life in prison by a hooded, military tribunal. His attorney, Dr. Alfredo Crespo, was sentenced to life in prison for treason for representing Guzman. Guzman told the court: ?I am a revolutionary combatant and totally reject being a terrorist.?
Texas: On September 20, 2006, Carlos Barrera, 38, a prisoner at the Plainview jail, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to spitting twice on guard Nancy Stone, making lewd comments and exposing himself to her. His criminal record prior to this consists of five drunken driving convictions, including one for which he was sentenced to six years in prison, and five convictions for driving without a license.
Texas: On September 22, 2006, Gilbert Reyna, 41, a Bexar county probation officer was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing the money probationers on his caseload were paying for fines and restitution. The theft was discovered in 2003 when Reyna was on vacation and one his probationer made a payment to another probation officer who noted the probationer was behind on his payments until the probationer produced receipts showing he had paid.
Thailand: On September 20, 2006, over 100 prisoners at the Yala prison rioted to protest beatings by guards, ?harsh treatment? and ?rigid prison rules.? Prison officials responded by opening fire, killing two and wounding seven prisoners. The leaders of the rebellion were transferred to other prisons.
Utah: Employees at the Salt Lake City Jail smuggled a BB gun, a pellet gun, a lighter and matches into the Metro Jail in June, 2006, and placed them in prisoner housing areas ostensibly to illustrate lax security in the jail. While the jail has a metal detector staff are supposed to go through upon entering the jail, no one monitors it so even if it goes off, nothing happens. Rollin Cook, the jail?s chief deputy, claims the employees committed felonies and violated the ethics of their office by smuggling the contraband into the jail. Cook noted further security is not needed because the employees are finest ones in Utah and have undergone background checks and the jail is frequently searched.
Viet Nam: On September 2, 2006, the government announced it would release 5,352 prisoners to celebrate National Day, which commemorates Ho Chi Minh?s declaration of independence from France in 1945. In the past two years Viet Nam has released over 35,000 prisoners to celebrate major events, including the 30th anniversary of the liberation of Southern Viet Nam.
Washington: On October 15, 2006, Duanne Jones, 37, a guard at the Pierce county jail was arrested on charges of drunk driving, hitting two cars while trying to leave a bar parking lot before winding up in a muddy ditch.
Zimbabwe: In April, 2006, prison officials confirmed reports by prisoners that prisoners were being forced to go naked in prison. The prison system previously banned prisoners from wearing their own personal clothes but then claimed budget shortages does not allow them to buy sufficient prison uniforms in order to clothe all the prisoners in their custody.
One prison official, who requested anonymity, said priority for uniforms went to pretrial detainees who had to attend court proceedings.
Zimbabwe?s prison system is designed to hold 16,000 prisoners and has over 22,000. Budget shortages result in a lack of medical care and food and many needless deaths besides the lack of clothing.
Arkansas: On October 12, 2006, Michael Bolton, 25, a prisoner at the East Arkansas Regional Unit in Brickys was stabbed and killed during a fight with fellow prisoner Dale Pierce, 26.
Brazil: In July, 2006, the nation?s judiciary ordered that cell phone blockers be installed in the nation?s prisons and jails to impede cell phone communication among prison gangs. The order was given by Judge Ritinha Stevenson of the 20th Federal Civil Court in Sao Paulo.
California: In September, 2006, the Amador county board of supervisors denied a Department of Corrections request to add 400 more prisoners to the Mule Creek State Prison citing the prison?s inability to handle the sewage generated by prison now. Julio Guera, the operator of the city?s wastewater treatment plant recently toured the prison sewage treatment facility and called it ?hopelessly overloaded.?
Connecticut: On April 9, 2006, George Smith, a guard at the Janet York Correctional Institution for women was charged with sexually assaulting a female prisoner in a closet in February, 2006. Smith was released on bond to await trial.
Curacao: In September, 2006, prisoners at the Bon Futuro Prison went on a hunger and work strike to protest the lack of conjugal visits with their girlfriends and wives, noting such visits are the norm in most Latin American countries and the Caribbean.
Delaware: On July 8, 2006, Earle Nelson, 49, a guard at Sussex Correctional Institution was arrested and charged with third degree assault for assaulting and pepper spraying an unidentified 18 year old prisoner at the facility during a cell search.
Georgia: On September 21, 2006, a DeKalb county jury acquitted jail prisoner Jason Smith, 26, of the murder of fellow prisoner Hoyt Jenkins, 71, in 2004. Jenkins was a schizophrenic with a history of making racist remarks and threats against blacks who had been jailed for threatening to stab police after being pulled over for driving without a tag. He was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and was awaiting transfer to a mental hospital when he was killed. For his part, Smith is mentally ill and delusional as well and was in the jail after calling police and demanding to be jailed for marijuana possession because he believed someone wanted to kill him. Police obliged. Smith claimed that Jenkins attacked him and attorneys also argued that jailers fabricated evidence to cover up their negligence in allowing the attack to continue and result in Jenkins? death.
Indiana: On September 20, 2006, Octavious Tyler, 25, a guard at the Indianapolis Juvenile Facility was arrested and charged with having sexual contact with one of the female children at the facility.
Jamaica: On April 18, 2006, St. James police superintendent Warren Clarke confirmed that an unidentified jail guard set fire to a prisoner in his cell after the prisoner called him a homosexual. Clarke said the guard had been fired. The prisoner was recuperating in a hospital after suffering extensive burns to his face and back.
Louisiana: On September 22, 2006, former deputy city attorney Henry Dillon, 49, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court after being convicted of raping two women in his office.
Michigan: On September 22, 2006, an unidentified 47 year old prison guard was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting and prostituting his 26 year old daughter. The daughter has pleaded guilty to prostitution charges.
Montana: On July 8, 2006, Anthony Spragg, 38, a jail guard at the Cascade County jail, was arrested on charges of raping a female prisoner at the facility on at least here different occasions.
New Mexico: In early July, 2006, Gary Adkins, 47, a guard at the Roosevelt county jail in Clovis was sentenced to five years in prison for raping a 24 year old female jail prisoner incarcerated for a probation violation.
Nigeria: On August 25, 2006, the government released 10,000 prisoners as part of its prison reform program. The bulk of the released prisoners were pre trial detainees being held on minor property offenses.
North Carolina: On August 9, 2006, Edith Pope, 49, the former assistant superintendent of programs at the Craggy Correctional Center was sentenced to 22 to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with Shane Smith, a prisoner serving a life sentence for second degree murder, arson and burglary who was employed as her office assistant. Pope?s husband discovered the affair and reported it to law enforcement officials. Pope blamed affair on bi polar disorder and an unnamed prescription drug that ?can increase sexual desire.?
North Carolina: On October 2, 2006, Terry Grice, 32, a prisoner on the Halifax County prison farm fell off his horse while herding cattle, into a pond and drowned. Grice fell after a bull charged his horse.
Oklahoma: On September 15, 2006, Webster Thomas, 33, a temporary guard at a juvenile prison in Sand Springs was charged with two felony counts of abusing a minor for striking and choking one child and hitting another child in the ribs at the prison.
Oregon: On September 20, 2006, James Earl Price, 34, a guard at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a women?s prison, was arrested and charged with raping a female prisoner over a three month period.
Peru: On October 13, 2006, Abimael Guzman, 71, the founder and chairman of the Communist Party of Peru was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of ?aggravated terrorism? for launching an armed struggle for state power in 1980. He was captured in 1992 and sentenced to life in prison by a hooded, military tribunal. His attorney, Dr. Alfredo Crespo, was sentenced to life in prison for treason for representing Guzman. Guzman told the court: ?I am a revolutionary combatant and totally reject being a terrorist.?
Texas: On September 20, 2006, Carlos Barrera, 38, a prisoner at the Plainview jail, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to spitting twice on guard Nancy Stone, making lewd comments and exposing himself to her. His criminal record prior to this consists of five drunken driving convictions, including one for which he was sentenced to six years in prison, and five convictions for driving without a license.
Texas: On September 22, 2006, Gilbert Reyna, 41, a Bexar county probation officer was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing the money probationers on his caseload were paying for fines and restitution. The theft was discovered in 2003 when Reyna was on vacation and one his probationer made a payment to another probation officer who noted the probationer was behind on his payments until the probationer produced receipts showing he had paid.
Thailand: On September 20, 2006, over 100 prisoners at the Yala prison rioted to protest beatings by guards, ?harsh treatment? and ?rigid prison rules.? Prison officials responded by opening fire, killing two and wounding seven prisoners. The leaders of the rebellion were transferred to other prisons.
Utah: Employees at the Salt Lake City Jail smuggled a BB gun, a pellet gun, a lighter and matches into the Metro Jail in June, 2006, and placed them in prisoner housing areas ostensibly to illustrate lax security in the jail. While the jail has a metal detector staff are supposed to go through upon entering the jail, no one monitors it so even if it goes off, nothing happens. Rollin Cook, the jail?s chief deputy, claims the employees committed felonies and violated the ethics of their office by smuggling the contraband into the jail. Cook noted further security is not needed because the employees are finest ones in Utah and have undergone background checks and the jail is frequently searched.
Viet Nam: On September 2, 2006, the government announced it would release 5,352 prisoners to celebrate National Day, which commemorates Ho Chi Minh?s declaration of independence from France in 1945. In the past two years Viet Nam has released over 35,000 prisoners to celebrate major events, including the 30th anniversary of the liberation of Southern Viet Nam.
Washington: On October 15, 2006, Duanne Jones, 37, a guard at the Pierce county jail was arrested on charges of drunk driving, hitting two cars while trying to leave a bar parking lot before winding up in a muddy ditch.
Zimbabwe: In April, 2006, prison officials confirmed reports by prisoners that prisoners were being forced to go naked in prison. The prison system previously banned prisoners from wearing their own personal clothes but then claimed budget shortages does not allow them to buy sufficient prison uniforms in order to clothe all the prisoners in their custody.
One prison official, who requested anonymity, said priority for uniforms went to pretrial detainees who had to attend court proceedings.
Zimbabwe?s prison system is designed to hold 16,000 prisoners and has over 22,000. Budget shortages result in a lack of medical care and food and many needless deaths besides the lack of clothing.
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