Department spokesman Keith Acree said the two are being treated for their injuries at local hospitals. He was found dead in his cell the following morning, a victim of coronary artery disease. 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. The facility houses medium- and close-security inmates. Zelaya-Sorto pulls out a shank a handmade knife from inside his jumpsuit and lunges at Cook. In a court filing, Wall denied the federal lawsuit claims, saying he never facilitated attacks or gave gang members preferential treatment. 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. Polkton is 45 miles southeast of Charlotte. Wall is the first staff member to arrive. Many listings are from partners who compensate us, which may influence which 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 my opinion, it didnt seem logical to hide them in the ceiling, she said. None of the officers convicted have served their sentences. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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.. It is a close custody facility, which is the equivalent of maximum security. There, Ortiz and Zelaya-Sorto attacked and seriously injured inmate Christopher Cook. Willis, G. D. (2002). It did not appear to be a normal prison relationship that a correctional officer should have with inmates, Underwood said. A locked padlock In an email to the Observer, state prison leaders said they have no evidence to support that conversations and gestures with inmates seen in the surveillance video are anything other than normal discussions with the inmate population.. But by that time, the officer was already bleeding profusely. Updated: 4:34 PM EST November 9, 2012. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. One of those officers fell and hurt her knee when she went to Callahan's defense, Jernigan said. 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.. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. 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. 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. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. Then he covers his mouth. Other prisoners were killed by police dogs. Lanesboro Correctional Institution is a 1,000 cell, high security prison facility located adjacent to Brown Creek Correctional Institution and Anson Correctional Center in Polkton, NC. Bertie isn't the only state prison with staffing problems. She and her colleagues in the Charlotte SBI office were frequently called to investigate crimes there, including officers charged with bringing drugs to inmates. Asked to explain the shanks in his ceiling, Wall told his bosses he was planning to put them in a display case to train new staff members. 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. Dustin Bettis, a former inmate who did time in Lanesboro, told the Observer he saw Wall give a pocket knife to one inmate and a cellphone to another. Wall turns and looks directly into the room where Vazquez waits. English said he had gathered evidence about another prison sergeant who worked for Wall and who he suspected was bringing drugs into the prison. Cook, the target of the 2012 attack, was released from prison in March. They have a very difficult job Most of them do it the right way. 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. Turner, who lived in D pod with the other three inmates, went through the door behind them. Wall told Bridges that he was asking about rumors of a planned attack on him. A corrections officer opened the door that allowed the three convicted inmates into an adjacent pod. John Sapper is appointed as the new administrator at Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor. News anchor Fred Shropshire is leaving Charlotte station WCNC. Combined, theyve been cited for dozens of offenses while in prison, including weapon possession, fighting and assault. In a cell block inside one of the states most dangerous prisons, an inmate stabs a rival gang member over and over, 13 times. 227 West Trade St. The gashes in the officer's face and neck required 39 stitches. Its also unclear where Zelays-Sorto and Ortiz go immediately after the meeting breaks up. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. Walker said she cant discuss specifics, but the investigation was not related to the Turner case. At no time did (I) knowingly or willingly allow any inmate to attack any inmate, he wrote. Bridges said she doesnt buy that explanation. [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". Official websites use .gov McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. Turner walks over to Cook and they stand shoulder to shoulder, braced for an attack. The letter also stated that Wall intentionally tried to conceal contraband that might have been used for pending criminal charges or an internal investigation. Soon afterward, a corrections officer allowed the inmates into the pod where the murder took place. [21] Then he counted the rings, Is red tide present at your favorite Florida beach? To investigators and the killers lawyers, his meaning seemed clear: Keep your mouth shut. 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. 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. "They might have had enough officers to subdue that inmate before he got that fire extinguisher from the sergeant," said Robert Webster, a former captain at two North Carolina maximum-security prisons. 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. He stretches his arms wide above his head, then lowers them and covers his mouth with both hands. 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. The N.C. Department of Public Safety has declined the Observers requests for copies of the video, citing ongoing investigative reviews.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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.". Leandro Lo, a legendary jiu-jitsu fighter, was killed in Brazil, according to MMA Junkie.He was 33 years old. The other inmate who was injured is being treated for his injuries. Accessed March 29, 2018. Meggan Callahan was killed by an inmate at Bertie Correctional Institution Wednesday evening. [20] In April 2014, 15 additional policemen were sentenced to 48 years. In Lanesboro, as in many other prisons, gangs often battle for control over drugs and cellphones a lucrative trade for both inmates and corrupt officers. Then they returned to D pod, the unit where they lived. By Ames Alexander - aalexander@charlotteobserver.com. Later, investigators found bloody weapons hidden in the ceiling of Walls old office. 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. Bridges and a prison captain searched the ceiling and found videos of prison fights, nine rods, a long metal shank and three bloody shanks. If the officer knew an assault was going to take place, would he have opened the door? Bridges asked. Our site does not feature every educational option available on the market. Inmates catch a mid-morning nap at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, in Polkton. 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. 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. One of the officers seen making the keep-quiet gesture was Jeffery Wall, a former prison unit manager who was fired months after inmate Wesley Turners murder. Hands among the dead were found in front of the face or behind the head suggesting defensive positions. The. It was shocking to see the place wasnt being supervised with more of the restrictions that youd expect in a prison, she said. They were planning to go to that unit to settle a dispute with Cook, who belonged to a different gang. Staff researcher Maria David and editor Rogelio Aranda contributed. I would like to see the truth be told about what happens at Lanesboro. State prison officials refused to say how many staff were on duty the day Callahan died. Ortiz later told investigators his weapon was a plastic toilet bowl cleaner with a sharpened end. Most (of the prisons officers) are good, hard-working folks, said Underwood, the SBI supervisor. His name has not been released. Many of North Carolina's maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. Theyre within feet of an officer who controls the locked door to the block. He would not discuss the lawsuit or his testimony with an Observer reporter. B.S. Ballistic evidence indicated that 515 bullets were found in the prisoners. 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. He stretches his arms high. 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. 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. 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. The inmate who spent time with Wall Joseph Sanderlin was involved in at least two attacks at Lanesboro, Wynns attorneys say. 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. [10] He was in charge of the special police unit ROTA that is known for having an aggressive approach to civil disturbance. But he said that Gov. 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? Investigators and lawyers believe a prison manager knew the attack was coming. 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. Shortly after 3 p.m., almost three hours after the attack, correctional officers lead Vazquez into a nurses office. 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. CHARLOTTE 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 represented one of the suspects said. [19] In August 2013, another 25 policemen involved in the massacre were sentenced to 624 years each for the deaths of 52 inmates. 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. Turner reportedly belonged to the same gang as Cook and was trying to go to his defense. Early on the morning of Nov. 15, 2013, Lanesboro had just four officers in the chow hall to oversee the 100 inmates who were there for breakfast, McCoy said. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. The confrontation began at about 8:30 a.m., when an inmate assaulted another inmate at the prison in Anson County, according to a statement from N.C. Director of Prisons Kenneth Lassiter. WINDSOR, NC (Ames Alexander and Gavin Off/The Charlotte Observer) - Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. In such situations inmates will sometimes send associates to threaten the officers, or even assault them. All charges in the indictment are allegations. [5] The prisoners were stripped, locked in their cells and shot. Cook said he met him in 2001, when Turner came to his aid in a fight against correctional officers. The crackdown has reduced assaults, a DPS spokesman said. "If you had more staff, then you might have been looking at hurt staff instead of dead staff" (on the day Callahan died), Harkins said. All three of the Latino inmates had sharp weapons. The vigil and pleas for justice led to several trials for the officers involved in the massacre that same year. His friend may be next. Inside his cell block, inmate Christopher Cook expects trouble. Friends and family described Juan Ortiz-Castillo as very jealous of his wife, according to police. 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. Charlotte, NC 28202, Charlotte: (704) 344-6222 He sued and won a $10,000 settlement from the state. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. The inmate was always in his office, and that was kind of unusual, Covington said. 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. He stares into the office for a few moments before walking away. Guice, the prison leader, acknowledged that the state faces significant staffing challenges. State figures show that in April, when Callahan died, roughly one of every five correctional officer positions at the eastern North Carolina prison was vacant. He pleads with two other inmates to lend him a weapon. / CBS/AP. He was scheduled to stay in jail until 2017. Walls testimony was brief and he did not elaborate on the hidden weapons. Attorneys for Vazquez said their client never told them what led to the fight. Strong of the FBIs Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making the announcement. Other prison staff members showed him where it was, he said. In 2017, The New York Times published an article captioned "Brazils Deadly Prison System". Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Lock In a court filing, he said he never facilitated attacks. The North Carolina . Police are asking anyone with information related to the Easley murder to contact them immediately. in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement, A.S. in Criminal Justice, B.S. Lanesboro has a standard operating capacity of 864 close-custody male inmates, with 128 segregation cells and 8 health care beds. "All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide we're going to take over the prison. Our theory is that, at best, the corrections officers knew (the attack) was going to happen and did nothing to stop it, Smith said. 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. "When you don't have adequate staff to manage the inmates, and there's an incident, unfortunately people can get hurt and sometimes people even die," Webster said. Officers sprint in behind Wall, cornering the three attackers. Meggan Callahan was beaten to death, 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. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife, son in June 2021, Get ready to change your clocks. Forensic tests did not tie any of the shanks in Walls ceiling to the attacks on Turner, according to Bridges, the SBI agent. Prison leaders say that when staff vacancies at a prison rise, they make adjustments, such as moving prisoners, reducing inmate programs and sending fewer staff members to special training. 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. Cook suffered lacerations and puncture wounds. Jurors deliberated for about half an hour before convicting Mikel. The slain officer, Bias Easley, worked at the Lanesboro Correctional Institute, which is located near Wadesboro. It's odd that (the gang members) are meeting with Wall minutes before the attack, Smith said. The dismissal letter, signed by Lanesboros acting administrator at the time, called Walls statement a clear threat of injury or harm to staff.. You're tired. Soon afterward, Vazquez attacked and killed Turner. Channel 9 has investigated Lanesboro, a maximum-security prison, for years. [3] Around 2:15 P.M., the prison director, Dr Jos Ismael Pedrosa, informed the local military police Polcia Militar do Estado de So Paulo about the uprising. To investigators and the killers lawyers, his meaning seems clear: The man making that gesture isnt another inmate. Ortiz is scheduled to get out in 2019. Prison officials investigated the murder, but refused to provide the Observer their report. Surveillance video shows two of the attackers meeting with a unit manager shortly before the attack.. The four staff members at the Lanesboro. Do you want to share documents or information about the North Carolina prisons? The slain officer, Bias Easley, worked at the Lanesboro Correctional Institute, which is located near Wadesboro. 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. Bertie now houses about 935 inmates. The Anson County Sheriff's Office says one inmate is dead and another was stabbed. Two pending federal lawsuits allege that Wall and his officers sold weapons to gang members. 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. In a court filing, Wall said he never facilitated attacks. Turner, 35, had also been serving time for second-degree murder and was scheduled for release in 2017. Its clearly not a place where theyre learning to go the straight and narrow, he said. Why fans love it. 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. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. He did not respond. Polkton Police Chief Matthew Norris said he recovered the one shank in Walls desk drawer soon after the 2012 fight. Acree said thetwo correctional officersassaulted with a broom handlewere treated by prison medical staff. 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. [16] The group is believed to be responsible for the death of Jos Ismael Pedrosa, the director of the prison at the time. 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. [2] The conflict consisted of 2,069 prisoners against 15 guards, resulting in the guards quickly losing control of the prisoners. According to Acree, the prison is temporarily locked down while an investigation begins. According to charges contained in the federal indictment, Blyther worked as a correctional officer at the Lanesboro Correctional Institution (LCI), since renamed Anson Correctional Institution, a state prison located in Polkton, North Carolina.