At least eight Lanesboro officers were caught bringing in drugs, cellphones and tobacco from early 2013 to early 2017, according to law enforcement records. 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. He stretches his arms high. State prison leaders say they are holding many hiring events and partnering with schools and military bases to fill jobs. He sued and won a $10,000 settlement from the state. But after investigating for more than a year, the SBI closed the case. Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. Wall is the first staff member to arrive. To cope with the shortages, many prisons have also paid hundreds of thousands each year for overtime. Ortiz, the inmate charged in that stabbing, said his weapon was a plastic toilet bowl cleaner with a sharpened end. Bridges said she doesnt believe that. That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. Most (of the prisons officers) are good, hard-working folks, said Underwood, the SBI supervisor. 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. Vazquez repeatedly stabs Turner with a shank. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. The weapons were found nearly a year and a half after the deadly fight, and forensic tests did not tie any of them to the attacks on Turner and Cook. Special Agent in Charge John A. Wall had been assigned to another prison while the Turner investigation was underway. State prison leaders refused requests for all surveillance videos that show incidents in which Wall is accused of helping inmates wage attacks. The shank didnt belong there. 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. 1 inmate dead after incident at correctional center - WSOC TV Then he counted the rings, Is red tide present at your favorite Florida beach? A former high-ranking administrator accused of fostering violence at one of North Carolinas most dangerous prisons acknowledged in federal court Tuesday that he kept homemade weapons such as shanks hidden in the ceiling of his prison office. The N.C. Department of Public Safety has declined the Observers requests for copies of the video, citing ongoing investigative reviews.. Id like to see the truth be told about what really does go on in here.. To investigators and the killers lawyers, his meaning seems clear: The man making that gesture isnt another inmate. If (prison officials) cant answer that question, why cant they?. The inmate was always in his office, and that was kind of unusual, Covington said. Investigators and lawyers believe a prison manager knew the attack was coming. Accessed March 29, 2018. That was one of three times inmates attacked Mitchell. This morning, Turner had warned Cook that Latino gang members planned to create trouble between the Bloods and the Folks. Roberts and Jeremy Smith, the state-appointed lawyers who represented Vazquez, said they watched prison surveillance video taken on the day Turner was killed and learned the following: Around lunchtime on Sept. 28, 2012, Ortiz and Zelaya-Sorto, along with one or two inmates who were members of a gang called the United Blood Nation, were in an administrative office with Wall and an assistant unit manager. One prisoner alleges that Wall ran a violent, contraband-driven fiefdom.. ", NC prison was understaffed when Sgt. Turner, 35, a convicted murderer nicknamed Thug Life, has served most of his 21-year prison sentence. Seconds later, Ortiz grabs a shank from his waistband and also begins slashing Cook. [16] The group is believed to be responsible for the death of Jos Ismael Pedrosa, the director of the prison at the time. He died helping me, Cook wrote in a letter to the Observer. The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. Staff researcher Maria David and David Raynor of The (Raleigh) News & Observer contributed. 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. NC prison was understaffed when sergeant was beaten to death The four staff members at the Lanesboro. MMA Junkie says that police officer Henrique Otavio Oliveira Velozo is a suspect. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. The Killing Consensus: Homicide Detectives, Police that Kill and Organized Crime in Sio Paulo, Brazil. Bertie now houses about 935 inmates. He goes straight to Cook, who is bleeding, and motions for him to get down on his knees. November 2014 - Five former Lanesboro inmates filed a federal lawsuit alleging that officers at the Anson County prison repeatedly helped gang-affiliated inmates get weapons and wage attacks. Willis, G. D. (2002). A female officer told Bridges that Wall just called looking for help. 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. 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. A locked padlock "You can only spread people so thin," she said. September 2016 - Inmates stabbed a sergeant and a lieutenant at the prison, and hit two other officers with a broom handle. He had 43. Finding people who are willing to work as prison officers isn't easy. Acree said thetwo correctional officersassaulted with a broom handlewere treated by prison medical staff. For almost two years, an Observer reporter exchanged letters with inmate Christopher Cook, who described what led to the attack that killed Turner. SBI agents who investigated the killing said in interviews this week that they have no proof that corrections officers were trying to help the assailants. The case was brought before the inter-American Commission by The Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), the Teotnio Vilela Commission for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch, and in 2000, eight years after the massacre, they condemned Brazil for it. Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough. 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 . At the time, she was responding to a fire that had been set inside the. Less than an hour after the fight, SBI agent Audria Bridges began investigating the murder. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Many of the large maximum-security prisons such as Bertie and Lanesboro are located in rural areas, where recruiting can be difficult. More than 45 N.C. prison officers have been fired . For instance, they noted, he failed to tell prison officers after his attacker assaulted him the first time. Other former Lanesboro inmates also say that corrections officers have made a dangerous environment more so. "And this time it came up snake eyes," he said. Why would someone working in a prison give someone who is suspected of being involved in a murder a be quiet sign? Roberts said in an interview with the Observer. Are there more visitors than ever in Bradenton, Sarasota as peak season approaches? It was shocking to see the place wasnt being supervised with more of the restrictions that youd expect in a prison, she said. All rights reserved. "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. For the past nine years, Sapper has served as the operations manager for the Coastal Region, overseeing 12 prisons in eastern North Carolina. Both are members of the Folk Nation. 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. WINDSOR, NC (Ames Alexander and Gavin Off/The Charlotte Observer) - Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. Angela Smith, who worked as an officer at Tabor Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2014, said she was often asked to work overtime because the prison was so understaffed. in Justice Studies and M.S. State prison officials refused to say how many staff were on duty the day Callahan died. Located in Polkton, about 45 miles east of Charlotte, Lanesboro has repeatedly drawn. 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. A spokesman for the N.C. Department of Corrections says two inmates were taken to the hospital. The other inmate who was injured is being treated for his injuries. [9] Main Office: Now comes the gesture. 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. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. Updated: 4:34 PM EST November 9, 2012. [9] It is a close custody facility, which is the equivalent of maximum security. Later, investigators found bloody weapons hidden in the ceiling of Walls old office. 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. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. Then shelter shared desperate plea, What to Watch Friday: Dateline and 20/20 update Murdaugh murder trial coverage, Mail carrier cant believe his eyes after seeing NC lottery win. 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. 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. 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 fight that killed inmate Wesley Turner. Prisons to weaken correctional officer vetting, critics says Ronald Covington, a former captain at Lanesboro, testified that Wall appeared to be close to a gang-affiliated inmate. ". Wesley Turner, a former inmate at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, was stabbed to death in a 2012 prison fight. Blyther was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, and had his initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer. In my opinion, it didnt seem logical to hide them in the ceiling, she said. According to Acree, the prison is temporarily locked down while an investigation begins. In 2012, an inmate at Lanesboro Correctional Institution was killed during a gang fight. Its so dangerous that some officers begin their work days by asking those coming off the previous shift how many assaults theyve just seen. Other prisoners were killed by police dogs. Parsons declined to talk with the Observer about that and other allegations. He said I could face an EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) complaint for making false accusations.. Surveillance videos and shanks hidden in the ceiling of a prison managers office raised questions about whether prison officials helped plan the attack or allowed it to happen. September 29, 2016 / 6:08 PM In an 11-week period in early 2016, more than 15 staff members left Lanesboro under suspicion of wrongdoing, Mitchell said. The confrontation began at about 8:30 a.m., when an inmate assaulted another inmate at . 111 Killed When Police Storm Brazilian Prison During Inmate Riot. The New York Times. A federal lawsuit, filed last month by five former Lanesboro inmates, alleges that corrections officers helped gang members wage attacks against other inmates. Prisoner dies in riot at Lanesboro - journalnow.com By Ames Alexander, Gavin Off and Elizabeth Leland. The facility was a detention center, not a penitentiary, meaning that the inmates had not yet been tried or convicted. This story was originally published July 17, 2018, 8:17 PM. 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 .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. I characterize the lack of supervision there as, quite frankly, shocking, Roberts said. In a statement to the Observer, N.C. Secretary of Public Safety Frank Perry wrote: Management changes have been made at Lanesboro, but many other initiatives are in the works that include increasing staff, providing additional staff training and partnering with outside law enforcement and investigative agencies.. 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. Why did NC prison officer hide weapons in his office ceiling Others believe that it was somehow connected to his job. The suits also contend that Wall facilitated attacks on two other inmates the same year Turner was killed. October 2014 - Prison administrator David Mitchell was stabbed in the neck by an inmate wielding a plastic shank. When investigators examine surveillance videos of the murder, theyre troubled by what happens a few hours later: A man approaches a nurses office, where the killer is being held. The commanding officer of the operation, Colonel Ubiratan Guimares, was initially sentenced to 632 years in prison for his mishandling of the rebellion and the subsequent massacre. But he said that Gov. 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. 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. Vazquez, 32, had already been serving an eight- to 10-year sentence for second-degree murder. "We've got to find a way to retain the people who work for us," Guice said. Roberts, one of Vazquezs attorneys, said he was surprised to see how freely inmates at Lanesboro were allowed to roam the prison. At other prisons of comparable size, officers told the Observer, it's common for about 50 or 60 officers to work the day shift. 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. Bridges said that, in her opinion, Walls meeting with the Latino gang members was connected in some way with the subsequent fight. David Mitchell, a Harley-riding former Navy officer brought in to run the prison in 2014, was attacked three times in his first eight months once stabbed in the neck by an inmate wielding a dagger fashioned from melted plastic. But it was sometimes hard for prison officers to find those shanks, Parsons said. One inmate warned Lanesboro prison officials that Latino gang members were armed with homemade knives and planning an attack. 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. 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. Five years after the murder, Lanesboros problems continue. Wall turns and looks directly into the room where Vazquez waits. They were planning to go to that unit to settle a dispute with Cook, who belonged to a different gang. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A North Carolina inmate has been sentenced to at least 12 more years in prison for the gang-related murder of a fellow inmate, a case that has exposed further problems at Lanesboro Correctional Institution. The indictment was unsealed today in federal court, following Blythers arrest by the FBI. Heres how to check the conditions. Lake Norman mansion for sale hosted famous Talladega Nights Hollywood dinner scene, Ex-high school coach accused of sex crimes against 6 more athletes, NC sheriff says. [15] The surviving gang members joined forces with other prisoners to provide protection against the police. Driver arrested after video shows him nearly hitting students at their school bus stop. A spokesman for the N.C. Department of Corrections says two inmates were taken to the hospital. They assert that releasing the videos could jeopardize prison security. / CBS/AP. Leandro Lo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Star, Killed in So Paulo - Sports Follow Press TV on Telegram: http://t.me . A typical day working at Lanesboro Correctional Institute was a stressful and dangerous job. Your morale goes down," she said. In 2014, we reported that an inmate stabbed a prison administrator as he walked through the prison recreation yard. Turner was scheduled to get out of prison this year, too. Copyright 2012 WBTV. Had there been more, he said, one female officer might never have been assaulted. 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. As alleged in the indictment, as a correctional officer, Blythers duties included the supervision of inmates, and ensuring safe, secure and orderly prison operations. Press TV on Twitter: "RT @PresstvExtra: At least 40 people have been Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife, son in June 2021, Get ready to change your clocks. It's odd that (the gang members) are meeting with Wall minutes before the attack, Smith said. Contact SAP - Penitentiary Administration of So Paulo (Secretaria da Administrao Penitenciria), Brazil, Corrections in So Paulo, So Paulo Brazil. Ortiz is scheduled to get out in 2019. John Sapper is appointed as the new administrator at Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor. The CO was reportedly stabbed and suffered heavy bleeding after responding to an inmate fight. All three of the Latino inmates had sharp weapons. Jeremy Smith, who also represented Vazquez, formed the same opinion: Our theory is that, at best, the corrections officers knew (the attack) was going to happen and did nothing to stop it, he told the Observer. Working at Lanesboro Correctional Institution: 17 Reviews - Indeed 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. Walker said she cant discuss specifics, but the investigation was not related to the Turner case. 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. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety says a lieutenant and a sergeant were stabbed by inmates at Lanesboro Correctional Institution in Polkton around 2 p.m. Thursday. Lanesboro has a standard operating capacity of 864 close-custody male inmates, with 128 segregation cells and 8 health care beds. Fan-favorite Buc-ees gas station confirms new Florida location near Interstate 75, Jo-To Japanese Steak House, a Bradenton-Sarasota landmark for 40 years, to close soon, Ghislaine Maxwell appeals verdict and 20-year sex-trafficking sentence, Judge releases Florida students jailed for posting TikTok videos with Nerf gun filter, Public has a right to know: Lawmakers seek to open Jeffrey Epstein grand jury records, 3 young teens charged with murder after 15-year-old shot in Bradenton, sheriff says, Deputies arrest Parrish student accused of making false tip of school shooting threat, Florida man known as Milkshake pleads guilty to assault in Jan. 6 Capitol Riot. [8], In April 2013, 23 policemen involved in the massacre were sentenced to 156 years in prison each for the killing of 13 inmates. About 45 miles from Charlotte, just beyond a grove of trees, Lanesboro Correctional Institution houses some of the states most violent criminals. Then they returned to D pod, the unit where they lived. 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. Later that afternoon, Wall arrived at the Lanesboro parking lot, according to a prison document. Since the beginning of 2016, more than 30 stabbings occurred. And we don't have enough staff to fight back.". In July 2013, 10 months after the attack, Bridges was at Lanesboro interviewing an inmate when she got a tip. Officials: Lanesboro guard smuggled heroin for inmate NC prison officials asked for inmates' silence after Lanesboro killing Other prison staff members showed him where it was, he said. The fatal fight broke out roughly five minutes after the inmates left the office. All three of the convicted inmates have been transferred to other state prisons. Where, she wondered, were the shanks used to attack Cook and Turner? They have nothing to worry about, Wall told the officer, according to the document, because if I wanted to get anyone, I could get them touched from the outside.. 34/00, Case No. Human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch have also documented statistics of police violence and acquittals in Brazil. The. 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. In a recorded phone conversation, Hunt told a friend she knew a bunch of corrupt officers, according to an FBI affidavit. An officer in a control room opened the door for them. Staff stabbed, guards attacked with broom handle at N.C. prison - CBS News Some family members believe that the murder may have been . DPS names three new prison administrators | NC DPS Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: "People can get killed when you don't have enough staff. At 11:49 a.m., less than half an hour before the fatal fight begins, Wall walks into an office with an inmate. 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. Lanesboro Correctional Institution - Wikipedia Wall, who joined the prison system in 1995, was fired in August 2013 for willful violation of written rules and creating conditions that increased the chance of death or serious bodily injury, his dismissal letter states. Tony Underwood, who headed the Charlotte areas SBI office at the time, said hes still troubled by what investigators learned about Walls relationship with inmates. Its the few who dont who make problems for everybody.. Murder investigation exposes more problems at Lanesboro prison Ortiz later told investigators his weapon was a plastic toilet bowl cleaner with a sharpened end. Cary man becomes 27th North Carolinian charged in Capitol riot. The Anson County Sheriff's Office says one inmate is dead and another was stabbed. He was scheduled to stay in jail until 2017. Experts say such corruption jeopardizes prison workers, wastes taxpayer dollars and endangers the public. 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. 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. SBI officials say theres no proof that happened in the Turner case. Lo's lawyer confirmed to Brazilian news outlet G1 on Sunday that Lo was killed Saturday at a concert in So Paulo. One inmate dead, another injured in prison incident, Medical Marijuana bill passes NC Senate; some cannabis supporters against bill, 8-year-old helps raise money for favorite Waffle House worker in need of car, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. Brooke, James. It did not appear to be a normal prison relationship that a correctional officer should have with inmates, Underwood said. In interviews with investigators, officer Kearry Hinson said he picked up one of the weapons used in the fight and gave it to Wall. Asheville:(828) 271-4661. Inmate Gregorio Cortez Vazquez pleaded guilty earlier this month to second-degree murder in Turners stabbing death and was sentenced to up 16 additional years in prison. Heres a look at incidents at Lanesboro Correctional Institution since its opening in 2004: January 2009 - Inmate Bill Rayburn alleged he was repeatedly pepper-sprayed by correctional officers twice while he was naked after he requested medical help. Cook is unarmed. "We've got a lot of folks who are not staying with us.". The prison has a staff complement of 403 employees including correctional officers, administrators, food service, medical, dental and maintenance workers. Lawsuit: Prison guards deleted beating video | wcnc.com Meggan Callahan was killed by an inmate at Bertie Correctional Institution Wednesday evening. I believe its not a coincidence that they are in that office within minutes of carrying out that hit, Bridges told an Observer reporter. 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. Prosecutors later dismissed the charge because of problems with the credibility of witnesses. programs we write about. Attorneys for the state quizzed Wynn why he didnt take steps that might have allowed him to avoid the attack. Corrections officers flocked to the scene after the stabbings, but only one shank was recovered. Many listings are from partners who compensate us, which may influence which Bridges also questioned why Wall met with two gang members minutes before they attacked Cook. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. October 04, 1992. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. The letter also stated that Wall intentionally tried to conceal contraband that might have been used for pending criminal charges or an internal investigation. We encourage you to perform your own independent The Associated Press contributed to this report. [14] 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.