It was me who was supposed to die that day.. He was sentenced to 32 to 48 months. To investigators and the killers lawyers, his meaning seemed clear: Keep your mouth shut. But SBI agent Audria Bridges, who led the investigation, said she was troubled to learn that inmates at the prison roamed freely in areas they should not have been in.. Inmates involved in the fight told investigators that one of the shanks was a real long knife, another resembled a razor, and the third was a plastic toilet bowl brush sharpened at one end. Wilburn English, a prison sergeant who previously worked at Lanesboro, recalled a day when Parsons and Wall came to talk with him. How serious Parsons was about keeping contraband out of the prison remains unclear. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Turner was scheduled to get out of prison this year, too. But Harkins said the numbers provided by North Carolina suggest Bertie was "severely understaffed.". We encourage you to perform your own independent Bridges said forensic tests did not conclusively tie any of the weapons in Walls office to the attack on Turner. They pepper-spray and beat Vazquez with batons to stop him from stabbing Turner. [8], In April 2013, 23 policemen involved in the massacre were sentenced to 156 years in prison each for the killing of 13 inmates. Two other inmates involved in the gang-related fight that day Julio Alberto Zelaya-Sorto and Joel Corto Ortiz also pleaded guilty to felonies and had up to four and five years, respectively, added to their prison sentences. At other prisons of comparable size, officers told the Observer, it's common for about 50 or 60 officers to work the day shift. Our site does not feature every educational option available on the market. The officer noticed a gun in Walls vehicle, the letter states. Officers often find that they may become targets outside of the work place for incidents that began inside the jails and prisons in which they work. Then Wall said, They have nothing to worry about because if I wanted to get anyone, I could get them touched from the outside, the letter states. Other former Lanesboro inmates also say that corrections officers have made a dangerous environment more so. Other prison staff members showed him where it was, he said. in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement, A.S. in Criminal Justice, B.S. Another prison manager in that cramped office at the time told investigators that she was not paying attention as Wall spoke to the gang members, Bridges said. Are there more visitors than ever in Bradenton, Sarasota as peak season approaches? Parsons declined to talk with the Observer about that and other allegations. She and her colleagues in the Charlotte SBI office were frequently called to investigate crimes there, including officers charged with bringing drugs to inmates. A third inmate involved in the altercation that day Julio Alberto Zelaya-Sorto pleaded guilty last month to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. News anchor Fred Shropshire is leaving Charlotte station WCNC. At Lanesboro, 45 miles southeast of Charlotte, it was common for 42 officers to watch about 1,200 prisoners on the night shift, according to Gregory McCoy, who worked there as a correctional officer from 2009 to 2016. Inmates at this prison are kept under close watch and have committed very serious crimes. On Dec. 28, a guard at Brown Creek Correctional Institution, a medium-security prison located adjacent to Lanesboro, was accused of trying to smuggle marijuana and painkillers into the facility to give to an inmate there. Jurors deliberated for about half an hour before convicting Mikel. (Parsons) told me I couldnt say anything about another sergeant bringing in marijuana, Wilburn testified. Furthermore, gunshot wounds were mainly found in the face, head, throat and chest. Testimony from former unit manager Jeffery Wall came during the second day of a civil trial examining whether Walls supervisor, the top official at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, ignored serious problems and allowed Wall to maintain a violent, contraband-driven fiefdom.. All three belonged to gangs. He stares into the office for a few moments before walking away. Heres the list, Former Panthers site entrance, large home lots near Lake Wylie among Rock Hill plans, Death investigation after man found shot to death in Chester County, sheriff says, Man charged with DUI after 3-year-old child dies in Fort Mill car crash, police say, Powerful storm system across the East will impact the Rock Hill regions weather, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife, son in June 2021, Alex Murdaughs attorneys say theyll appeal double-murder conviction, When is spring bike week 2023 happening in Myrtle Beach? All charges in the indictment are allegations. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. The current capacity of Lanesboro Correctional Institution is 1,400 adult male inmates. Turner, 35, had also been serving time for second-degree murder and was scheduled for release in 2017. Hes a rookie at Lanesboro who is new to that job, still learning who to let in and who to keep out. Cook, the target of the 2012 attack, was released from prison in March. And we don't have enough staff to fight back.". At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son. Attorneys for Vazquez said their client never told them what led to the fight. Other inmates had told investigators that Hodges was supplying contraband to an inmate gang member who she later admitted was her boyfriend, court records show. By Ames Alexander, Gavin Off and Elizabeth Leland. When Callahan was attacked, two other officers were nearby, according to Anthony Jernigan, who heads the State Bureau of Investigation office that covers northeastern North Carolina. All three are serving their sentences at other prisons. He said the injuries he suffered in the 2011 attack have made it impossible for him to lift much weight above his head or work some prison jobs. April 2009 - Inmate Prentiss Quick complained of chest pains and requested medical help, but no one at the prison got him to a nurse or a doctor, a correctional officer and an inmate said. In February, the FBI charged former Lanesboro officer Evangeline Hunt with smuggling in drugs and other contraband for inmates. But only one shank was recovered. Charlotte, NC 28202, Charlotte: (704) 344-6222 Corrections officers flocked to the scene after the stabbings, but only one shank was recovered. A spokesman for the N.C. Department of Corrections says two inmates were taken to the hospital. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. In 2014, Vazquez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing Turner. Walls dismissal letter, obtained by The Observer, states that he had hidden bloody weapons in the ceiling of his old office. The five men say they filed the lawsuit because of their time at Lanesboro Correctional Institution. A veteran SC attorney weighs in, Alex Murdaugh murder trial jury begins deliberations same day 1 juror is removed. Department spokesman Keith Acree said the two are being treated for their injuries at local hospitals. In July 2013, 10 months after the attack, Bridges was at Lanesboro interviewing an inmate when she got a tip. The Observer repeatedly tried to reach Wall to discuss the Turner murder and the lawsuit allegations. POLKTON, N.C. -- Authorities in North Carolina say two supervisors were stabbed and two correctional officers were assaulted with a broom handle in an attackat a state prison. ANSON COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Three inmates from the Lanesboro Correctional Institute in Polkton have been indicted by an Anson County Grand Jury for the September 28, 2012 murder of a fellow inmate, and an assault on a second inmate. Prosecutors later dismissed the charge because of problems with the credibility of witnesses. The first to enter is Julio Zelaya-Sorto, convicted of shooting and killing a man at a Greensboro nightclub. The massacre has also sparked ongoing discussions, both in Brazil and internationally about Brazil's prison system. Both inmates are members of MS-13, a powerful Latino gang. November 2013 - A gang member cut a correctional officer three times on the neck and face, requiring 39 stitches, according to a police report. At 11:49 a.m., less than half an hour before the fatal fight begins, Wall walks into an office with an inmate. In such situations inmates will sometimes send associates to threaten the officers, or even assault them. It was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go in the media from being a grieving father who lost a wife and a son to being the person indicted and convicted of killing them, Judge Clifton Newman said to Alex Murdaugh Friday. - A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte has indicted Erice Lemond Blyther, 46, of Hoffman, N.C., for smuggling a controlled substance at Lanesboro Correctional Institution while employed as a correctional officer. The gashes in the officer's face and neck required 39 stitches. I would like to see the truth be told about what happens at Lanesboro. Some of the DVDs showed fights between inmates, Bridges said. Heres how to check the conditions. Guice, the prison leader, acknowledged that the state faces significant staffing challenges. From a common area, Cook can see Zelaya-Sorto and Ortiz the prisoners who have just met with Wall. The indictment was unsealed today in federal court, following Blythers arrest by the FBI. [11] On 16 February 2006, a Brazilian court voided Guimares' conviction because of mistrial claims; the court accepted his argument that he was only "following orders". Most (of the prisons officers) are good, hard-working folks, said Underwood, the SBI supervisor. Inmate Donny Mosley, who is serving time for second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon, had slashed her face and neck with a razor-like weapon. Suite 1650 Soon afterward, Vazquez attacked and killed Turner. [9] Once in a lifetime, Murdaugh verdict sends a Lowcountry message: No one is above the law | Opinion, Charlotte Waffle House found with live roach, unclean equipment during health inspection, The top-ranked pie in North Carolina doesnt look like pie at all. [9] He was not asked to explain why. The inmate was identified as 35-year-old Wesley Turner in a news release from N.C . None of the officers convicted have served their sentences. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. In a court filing, he said he never facilitated attacks. The incident was reported around1:30 p.m. at theLanesboro Correctional Institution in Polkton. Officers skipped their required rounds at the prison the night Quick died, records show. The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. Dawe, whose group shares research to help correctional officers, said that prison leaders who operate without sufficient staff "roll the dice with people's lives.". Had there been more, he said, one female officer might never have been assaulted. Heres how SBI officials say the early afternoon fight unfolded: Shortly before the attack, two of the convicted inmates visited the office of an assistant unit manager. In January, police and prosecutors teamed up with the prisons new administrator, John Herring, to begin criminally charging inmates caught with weapons. Relatives of those killed and human rights activists have both demanded and appealed for justice. Cary man becomes 27th North Carolinian charged in Capitol riot. And with Wall's signal after the fact, telling (Vazquez) essentially to be quiet, I don't know what other inference you can draw from it.. He had 43. Gregorio Cortez Vazquez, who was accused of stabbing Turner, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday in Anson County Superior Court and was sentenced to up to 16 years. In my opinion, it didnt seem logical to hide them in the ceiling, she said. The Killing Consensus: Homicide Detectives, Police that Kill and Organized Crime in Sio Paulo, Brazil. Many of North Carolina's maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. September 29, 2016 / 6:08 PM The facility houses medium- and close-security inmates. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. Prison video shows Wall making a keep your mouth shut gesture stretching his arms wide and then folding them so his hands covered his mouth to the office where Vazquez had been taken, Roberts and Smith said. Polkton Police Chief Matthew Norris said he recovered the one shank in Walls desk drawer soon after the 2012 fight. Our theory is that, at best, the corrections officers knew (the attack) was going to happen and did nothing to stop it, Smith said. September 2012 - The stabbing death of inmate Wesley Turner spurred an SBI investigation and led to three felony convictions. Inmates catch a mid-morning nap at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, in Polkton. August 2011 - Eighteen inmates assaulted staff members throughout the month. Wall and another prison manager walk down the hallway minutes later, then stop outside the office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. A North Carolina inmate was found guilty Monday of murdering four prison workers during a failed escape attempt two years ago. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Although the UN urged Brazil to bring justice to those most affected by the slaughter in September 2016, the court declared the trial on Carandiru massacre null. That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. The police released their dogs in the barber shop, where the wounded prisoners were taken. If Cooks DNA had turned up on any of the shanks in Walls office, that could have helped tie them to the attack. Staff researcher Maria David and David Raynor of The (Raleigh) News & Observer contributed. At the time, she was responding to a fire that had been set inside the. Authorities say prison Sgt. Bridges said she doesnt believe that. All rights reserved. Murder probe exposes more problems at Lanesboro prison, Former SC governor, Trump ally Nikki Haley coming to Myrtle Beach as she runs for president, Fort Mill just named its top teachers and staff members for 2023. Soon afterward, the suspects were escorted into offices where they received medical treatment. Its so dangerous that some officers begin their work days by asking those coming off the previous shift how many assaults theyve just seen. [14] Designed to hold 1,400 inmates, the prison has a staff of about 500. in Criminal Justice - Corrections, and M.S. Turner walks over to Cook and they stand shoulder to shoulder, braced for an attack. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. But if another staff member had been standing beside the officer that morning, "there's a possibility (Mosley) would have kept walking," McCoy said. "If inmates wanted to jump another inmate or take somebody out that day, that would be the time to do it when you're understaffed. They were planning to go to that unit to settle a dispute with Cook, who belonged to a different gang. Do you want to share documents or information about the North Carolina prisons? Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. For almost two years, an Observer reporter exchanged letters with inmate Christopher Cook, who described what led to the attack that killed Turner. Asheville:(828) 271-4661. Correctional officers were also prohibited from accepting gifts from inmates, performing favors for inmates, or providing inmates with narcotic drugs or any other item forbidden by LCI rules. Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances "to ensure this doesn't happen again.". The three wait outside Cooks cell block for more than a minute. Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough. One of those shanks was stained, possibly from blood, Bridges said. He sued and won a $10,000 settlement from the state. Vazquez, 32, had already been serving an eight- to 10-year sentence for second-degree murder. A lock ( Parsons, now retired, testified Tuesday that during his time at Lanesboro, he took a number of steps to reduce violence and keep weapons out of the hands of inmates. SBI officials say theres no proof that happened in the Turner case. Brian Dawe, executive director of the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network (ACOIN), said Bertie like most of the nation's prisons appeared to be badly understaffed, based on the numbers that state prison officials provided to the Observer. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "111 Killed When Police Storm Brazilian Prison During Inmate Riot", "Carandiru v. Brasil, Report, Report No. The murder, which occurred on Thursday June 5 in the hours before Easley and his father planned to watch the first game of the NBA finals together, left his family devastated.
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