Do you want to share documents or information about the North Carolina prisons? They entered their dogs in fights and watched them die. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Editors note: This story is based on interviews with dozens of sources including inmates, investigators, lawyers and 19 current and former prison employees as well as court files, correspondence, criminal records and state prison documents. The Killing Consensus: Homicide Detectives, Police that Kill and Organized Crime in Sio Paulo, Brazil. Then he counted the rings, Is red tide present at your favorite Florida beach? [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". Its also unclear where Zelays-Sorto and Ortiz go immediately after the meeting breaks up. His friend may be next. The Associated Press contributed to this report. [6], By the end of the day, 111 prisoners were dead; and 37 more were injured. English said he had gathered evidence about another prison sergeant who worked for Wall and who he suspected was bringing drugs into the prison. Channel 9 has investigated Lanesboro, a maximum-security prison, for years. The confrontation began at about 8:30 a.m., when an inmate assaulted another inmate at . Prison officials refused to allow reporters to interview Cook in prison, citing mental health concerns and a policy that does not allow media interviews with inmates in solitary confinement. Wall was eventually fired in 2013, after Parsons had left Lanesboro and after the homemade shanks were found hidden in the ceiling of Walls office. In court documents, Parsons has denied that. Brooke, James. State prison leaders refused requests for all surveillance videos that show incidents in which Wall is accused of helping inmates wage attacks. Please enter valid email address to continue. The gashes in the officer's face and neck required 39 stitches. Surveillance video from that day offers a look behind the prisons walls: Inmates mill about in a hallway, some high-fiving, others hugging or bumping fists, as if they are high-school students changing classes. 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.. Strong of the FBIs Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making the announcement. The slain officer, Bias Easley, worked at the Lanesboro Correctional Institute, which is located near Wadesboro. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. A video taken inside Lanesboro in 2012 and obtained by the Observer shows Wall meeting with gang members just minutes before those inmates, armed with homemade weapons, became involved in a. 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. The disclosures raise new questions about the role that corrections officers have played in violence at the high-security prison in Anson County. In a court filing, Wall said he never facilitated attacks. To investigators and the killers lawyers, his meaning seems clear: The man making that gesture isnt another inmate. Others believe that it was somehow connected to his job. The lawsuit being litigated at Charlottes federal courthouse this week was brought by Stacey Wynn, an inmate who suffered serious injuries following two November 2011 assaults at Lanesboro. A prison system veteran who earned about $41,000 a year, Wall was one of Lanesboros four unit managers, overseeing a block with nearly 300 inmates. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. "It's not safe," McCoy said. For instance, they noted, he failed to tell prison officers after his attacker assaulted him the first time. [21] Human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch have also documented statistics of police violence and acquittals in Brazil. At a pre-disciplinary conference, Wall told prison officials he was planning to put the shanks in a display case that would be used to train new staff members. 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. For the past nine years, Sapper has served as the operations manager for the Coastal Region, overseeing 12 prisons in eastern North Carolina. Later, an officer delivered other personal property to Wall, who had been waiting in front of the prison gatehouse. [5] No policemen were injured. Ten months later, significant amounts of contraband including video recordings and three bloody shanks were found in the ceiling above Walls office, according to his dismissal letter. Walker said she cant discuss specifics, but the investigation was not related to the Turner case. Turner, 35, had also been serving time for second-degree murder and was scheduled for release in 2017. Our site does not feature every educational option available on the market. The settlement was reached after the trio and two other state prisoners, Orlando Harshaw and Stacey Wynn, sued Lanesboro Correctional Institution Superintendent Lawrence Parsons and other prison officials for allowing and facilitating attacks by gang members in a part of the prison run by Unit Supervisor Jeffrey E. Wall. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said that's a possibility. What to know about daylight saving time in NC, Goofy dog had no adoption inquiries for months. The three continue to cause trouble: Since Turners death, theyve been written up for about 50 infractions, including weapon possession, setting fires and assaulting staff. [22][23] The court judged that the massacre was an act of self-defense and that there was a lack of evidence to link the individual officers to the individual killings. The Carandiru massacre (Portuguese: Massacre do Carandiru, Portuguese: [msaki du kdiu]) occurred on Friday, 2 October 1992, in Carandiru Penitentiary in So Paulo, Brazil, when military police stormed the penitentiary following a prison riot.The massacre, which left 111 prisoners dead, is considered by many people to be a major human rights violation. Attorneys for Vazquez said their client never told them what led to the fight. By Ames Alexander - aalexander@charlotteobserver.com. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. Wynn, who is serving a life sentence following a 2008 murder conviction, was permanently disabled after one of the attacks, his lawyers say. A spokesman for the N.C. Department of Corrections says two inmates were taken to the hospital. Wall turns and looks directly into the room where Vazquez waits. Turner walks over to Cook and they stand shoulder to shoulder, braced for an attack. The incident was reported around 1:30 p.m. at the Lanesboro Correctional Institution in Polkton. Multiple attempts to reach Wall and Peguese including visits to their last known addresses in Anson County were unsuccessful. Subsequent searches found numerous cellphones, improvised weapons and marijuana. The LCI housed medium and close-security inmates and was one of the states largest prisons. The slain officer, Bias Easley, worked at the Lanesboro Correctional Institute, which is located near Wadesboro. Guice, the prison leader, acknowledged that the state faces significant staffing challenges. He would not discuss the lawsuit or his testimony with an Observer reporter. October 2014 - Prison administrator David Mitchell was stabbed in the neck by an inmate wielding a plastic shank. "All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide we're going to take over the prison. "It's so dangerous," Gravitte said. Angela Smith, who worked as. The father of two was shot and killed in front of his Charlotte, North Carolina home, and police are currently investigating whether or not the murder was somehow connected to his profession or incidences which may have occurred in the correctional facility where he is employed. No, I dont think he would have.. "You can only spread people so thin," she said. One of those officers fell and hurt her knee when she went to Callahan's defense, Jernigan said. He said he based his suspicions on information from inmate informants and prison surveillance video. The five men say they filed the lawsuit because of their time at Lanesboro Correctional Institution. The control booth officer sees the fight, picks up a radio and makes a call. In an 11-week period in early 2016, more than 15 staff members left Lanesboro under suspicion of wrongdoing, Mitchell said. A prison with 1,000 inmates should have a total of at least 300 to 350 officers, he said. in Justice Studies and M.S. Some facts related to events surrounding the murder of inmate Wesley Turner are drawn from prison surveillance video obtained by the Observer. Dates, what you need to know, Winthrop loses to Radford in Big South tournament quarterfinals, Bonnaroo vows to stay champion of self-expression despite Tennessee drag show ban. The letter also stated that Wall intentionally tried to conceal contraband that might have been used for pending criminal charges or an internal investigation. On the morning of Sept. 28, 2012, the day that Turner was stabbed to death, there were rumors of potential violence. This morning, Turner had warned Cook that Latino gang members planned to create trouble between the Bloods and the Folks. On the video, Cook, 41, is the tall inmate gesturing to other prisoners. ANSON COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - One inmate is dead andanother injured after an incident at a state prison in Anson County. Other former Lanesboro inmates also say that corrections officers have made a dangerous environment more so. The inmate was always in his office, and that was kind of unusual, Covington said. The state has changed the prisons leadership several times in recent years. What happened to (the shanks)? asked SBI agent Audria Bridges, who led the investigation into Turners murder. He also said he had not kept a gun in plain view inside his car, contrary to what a corrections officer had reported. The facility was a detention center, not a penitentiary, meaning that the inmates had not yet been tried or convicted. Attorneys for the state quizzed Wynn why he didnt take steps that might have allowed him to avoid the attack. Department spokesman Keith Acree said the two are being treated for their injuries at local hospitals. 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. Another prisoner also slips through the door. A video taken inside Lanesboro Correctional Institution shows prison officials gesturing to suspects in an inmate's 2012 murder to keep their mouths shut after the killing, lawyers who. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. At Polk Correctional Institution, north of Durham, two or three officers are routinely put in charge of monitoring more than 200 inmates in the chow hall, said Sierra Gravitte, an officer who this month resigned from the prison after four years on the job. But in his first public comments about the hidden weapons, Wall said Lanesboros top administrator at the time Lawrence Parsons was unaware that he kept the weapons in his ceiling. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Ronald Covington, a former captain at Lanesboro, testified that Wall appeared to be close to a gang-affiliated inmate. POLKTON, N.C. - A lieutenant and a sergeant were stabbed by inmates at Lanesboro Correctional Institution around 2 p.m. Thursday and are being treated for their injuries at local hospitals, a [8], In April 2013, 23 policemen involved in the massacre were sentenced to 156 years in prison each for the killing of 13 inmates. An investigation by The Charlotte Observer, NC woman who beat 1 in 3.35 million odds shows up to claim her lottery jackpot, Mail carrier cant believe his eyes after seeing NC lottery win. In a court filing, he said he never facilitated attacks. Friends and family described Juan Ortiz-Castillo as very jealous of his wife, according to police. Richard Dwyer, a prisoner at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, died Aug. 17 of an apparent suicide, a state Department of Public Safety news release said. 227 West Trade St. Turner reportedly belonged to the same gang as Cook and was trying to go to his defense. Hes a manager at Lanesboro Correctional Institution. In a cell block inside one of the states most dangerous prisons, an inmate stabs a rival gang member over and over, 13 times. 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. Inmates catch a mid-morning nap at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, in Polkton. He stares into the office for a few moments before walking away. Inmates often hid contraband in body cavities, Parsons said. Many of the large maximum-security prisons such as Bertie and Lanesboro are located in rural areas, where recruiting can be difficult. It did not appear to be a normal prison relationship that a correctional officer should have with inmates, Underwood said. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Prison surveillance video doesnt capture that meeting, so its unclear what they discussed. Acree said thetwo correctional officersassaulted with a broom handlewere treated by prison medical staff. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The inmate was identified as 35-year-old Wesley Turner in a news release from N.C . He said hes haunted by Turners murder and has branded the letters of his best friends nickname into his right side. They assert that releasing the videos could jeopardize prison security. Experts said that better staffing at the prison likely would have meant more eyes and ears on what inmates were doing, faster response times and more officers on the scene. [19] In August 2013, another 25 policemen involved in the massacre were sentenced to 624 years each for the deaths of 52 inmates. "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. Wesley Turner has come to defend Cook, his friend. Wall, now 45, wouldnt talk to the Observer. The massacre has also sparked ongoing discussions, both in Brazil and internationally about Brazil's prison system. Prison leaders say they have begun assigning new officers "career readiness coaches," who provide pointers on dealing with inmates, keeping themselves safe and attaining career goals. It was me who was supposed to die that day.. About 45 miles from Charlotte, just beyond a grove of trees, Lanesboro Correctional Institution houses some of the states most violent criminals. At 11:49 a.m., less than half an hour before the fatal fight begins, Wall walks into an office with an inmate. research before making any education decisions. Authorities say prison Sgt. 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? ANSONCOUNTY, N.C. -- A N.C. inmate has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that corrections officers at an Anson County prison cracked his skull with a baton . Soon afterward, a corrections officer allowed the inmates into the pod where the murder took place. The indictment was unsealed today in federal court, following Blythers arrest by the FBI. Nikki Haley will be at Horry-Georgetown Technical College on March 13, a month after she launched her White House bid. ANSON COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Five former prisoners of Lanesboro Correctional in Anson County say guards at the prison helped gang-affiliated inmates get weapons and wage attacks. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. Charlotte, NC 28202, Charlotte: (704) 344-6222 A lawyer for the killer said in a court hearing that he believes prison officials either sanctioned the September 2012 attack or looked the other way. A federal lawsuit, filed last month by five former Lanesboro inmates, alleges that corrections officers helped gang members wage attacks against other inmates. The state Department of Public Safety says an inmate at Bertie. The state says the prison was on lockdown while they investigated the incident. From a common area, Cook can see Zelaya-Sorto and Ortiz the prisoners who have just met with Wall. Where, she wondered, were the shanks used to attack Cook and Turner? 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. A locked padlock But, with the help of a source, the Observer obtained a prison surveillance video from the 2012 attack that killed inmate Wesley Turner, providing a rare glimpse into a prison murder. Zelaya-Sorto pulls out a shank a handmade knife from inside his jumpsuit and lunges at Cook. The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. Prison officials investigated the murder, but refused to provide the Observer their report. Many of those videos were labeled with the words use of force a term that describes the force used by law enforcement officers to control unruly people. Meggan Callahan was killed by an inmate at Bertie Correctional Institution Wednesday evening. He goes straight to Cook, who is bleeding, and motions for him to get down on his knees. Designed to hold 1,400 inmates, the prison has a staff of about 500. And, he said, they would even go so far as to tie dental floss around forbidden items, flush them down the toilet before a cell search and later use the dental floss to retrieve them. In interviews with investigators, officer Kearry Hinson said he picked up one of the weapons used in the fight and gave it to Wall. August 2011 - Eighteen inmates assaulted staff members throughout the month. Officers skipped their required rounds at the prison the night Quick died, records show. Bertie now houses about 935 inmates. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. Three weeks later, Wall was fired. Ortiz later told investigators his weapon was a plastic toilet bowl cleaner with a sharpened end. October 04, 1992. Vazquez repeatedly stabs Turner with a shank. All rights reserved. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 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. All three are serving their sentences at other prisons. The current capacity of Lanesboro Correctional Institution is 1,400 adult male inmates. In January, police and prosecutors teamed up with the prisons new administrator, John Herring, to begin criminally charging inmates caught with weapons. Once in a lifetime, After years of negotiations, GOP leaders reach a breakthrough on Medicaid expansion, Alex Murdaughs attorneys say theyll appeal double-murder conviction, 16-year-old Raleigh teen charged with murder in Robeson County killing, The evidence was clear: Murdaugh juror reveals quick deliberation in SC murder trial, Day 29: Murdaugh sentenced to life, attorneys say theyll appeal to US Supreme Court if needed, What were the deciding factors in the Murdaugh guilty verdict? Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: "People can get killed when you don't have enough staff. Wall is the first staff member to arrive. But Daniel Roberts, one of the attorneys, told a judge at a court hearing that the videos and other evidence suggest prison officials either sanctioned the attack or looked the other way. Seconds later, another prisoner follows. Correctional officers face significant dangers in their careers both inside and outside of prisons to which they are assigned. Corrections officers flocked to the scene after the stabbings, but only one shank was recovered. Bridges said she hasnt watched all of the DVDs found in Walls ceiling, but has turned them over to the FBI. Some family members believe that the murder may have been . Cook is a leader of the Folk Nation, a rival gang, and he has heard rumors of escalating gang tensions. A correctional officer in the state of North Carolina was recently murdered, just one month before his wedding. One inmate warned Lanesboro prison officials that Latino gang members were armed with homemade knives and planning an attack. "When your shift starts at 5:30 a.m. and you work 12 hours and you get told you're held over till 9 (p.m.) you're not alert. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. Following the attack, more than 800 inmates were put on lockdown for several months. In 2014, we reported that an inmate stabbed a prison administrator as he walked through the prison recreation yard. A veteran SC attorney weighs in, Alex Murdaugh murder trial jury begins deliberations same day 1 juror is removed. Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. 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. No prison officials have been criminally charged. Wynn, who also took the stand Tuesday, testified that some inmates simply walked around prison metal detectors. According to Acree, the prison is temporarily locked down while an investigation begins. Several days after the incident police still had not arrested a suspect or determined a motive for the murder. For months, Bridges tried to make sense of what she saw at the murder scene and on surveillance video. It was shocking to see the place wasnt being supervised with more of the restrictions that youd expect in a prison, she said. POLKTON, N.C. -- Authorities in North Carolina say two supervisors were stabbed and two correctional officers were assaulted with a broom handle in an attack at a state prison. Driver arrested after video shows him nearly hitting students at their school bus stop. Those officers must cover two shifts and a number of them are off, sick or on vacation at any given time so only a fraction of the total staff was likely available to work the day shift on April 26. 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 a recorded phone conversation, Hunt told a friend she knew a bunch of corrupt officers, according to an FBI affidavit. But after investigating for more than a year, the SBI closed the case. The first inmates arrived in January 2004. Then he covers his mouth. ANSON COUNTY, N.C. One inmate is dead after an incident at Lanesboro Correctional Center in Anson County. Hes a rookie at Lanesboro who is new to that job, still learning who to let in and who to keep out. January 2013 - A former Lanesboro correctional officer began sending letters to state officials, describing several incidents in which some prison officials appeared to collude with gang members. The father was eventually rescued relatively unharmed, but the incident was a reminder of how an incident originating inside a jail or prison can quickly turn into a dangerous situation on the outside. The massacre also gained international attention, with The New York Times, publishing one article titled "111 Killed When Police Storm Brazilian Prison During Inmate Riot" the same year as the massacre. Lanesboro Correctional Institution is a state men's prison in Polkton, North Carolina, first opened in January, 2004 and operated by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Adult Corrections.As one of the state's four largest prisons, the official capacity is 1,800 prisoners. By Ames Alexander, Gavin Off and Elizabeth Leland. Most (of the prisons officers) are good, hard-working folks, said Underwood, the SBI supervisor. Officers found Dwyer dead at 10:15. If you go down to the local high school, you would see a way more controlled atmosphere than you saw in this video.. Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough. SBI officials say theres no proof that happened in the Turner case. In 2014, Vazquez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing Turner. 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. Bridges said she doesnt believe that. Located in Polkton, about 45 miles east of Charlotte, Lanesboro has repeatedly drawn scrutiny after violence, contraband smuggling and allegations of improper conduct by corrections officers. 1992 military police killing of prisoners in Brazil, Act in memoriam of 111 prisoners dead in the incident. Wynn alleges that Parsons was willfully and deliberately indifferent to his safety, in violation of his Constitutional right to protection from cruel and unusual punishment. September 2012 - The stabbing death of inmate Wesley Turner spurred an SBI investigation and led to three felony convictions. Wesley Turnerwas stabbed to death and taken to Anson Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. The man turns and looks directly into the room. Blyther is charged with use of interstate facility to facilitate bribery, which carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine; extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine; and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. In 2012, an inmate filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Lanesboro corrections officers cracked his skull with a baton and then destroyed a surveillance video that showed the assault. At other prisons of comparable size, officers told the Observer, it's common for about 50 or 60 officers to work the day shift. Lanesboro Correctional Institution Lanesboro Correctional Institution is located in Polkton North Carolina. According to the indictment, between August and September 2018, while employed at LCI as a correctional officer, Blyther accepted a bribe to smuggle a controlled substance into the LCI on behalf of an inmate housed at the facility. One of Brazil's most notorious gangs, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), is said to have formed in 1993 as a response to the event. Polkton is 45 miles southeast of Charlotte. Bridges and a prison captain searched the ceiling and found videos of prison fights, nine rods, a long metal shank and three bloody shanks. State Bureau of Investigation agents say they are examining possible wrongdoing by former Lanesboro officers and cannot discuss the assertions by Vazquezs lawyers. All three of the Latino inmates had sharp weapons. Its so dangerous that some officers begin their work days by asking those coming off the previous shift how many assaults theyve just seen. Official websites use .gov By Ames Alexander - aalexander@charlotteobserver.com. Have a question about Government Services? Staff researcher Maria David and editor Rogelio Aranda contributed.

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