WY: Prison Violence Increasing

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is monitoring the investigation into a beating at Wyoming State Penitentiary. On April 20, five African-American prisoners were attacked by 30 to 40 white, Native American and Latino prisoners. Two of the men who were attacked stated in a letter that 15 to 20 corrections officers and administrative personnel knew in advance about the attack and did nothing to stop it. They also stated that, after the attack, they were treated like “combatants” rather than victims. Two of the five people attacked were hand cuffed and put into segregation. The other three were put into punitive segregation and denied phone calls, writing materials and personal property. As of May 11, the unit where the attack occurred is in lockdown.

Because of a 2003 federal court order, Wyoming prison administrators are required to thoroughly investigate assaults on incarcerated people and report the findings to an outside monitor from Washington state. This order was the result of a lawsuit brought by the ACLU for a man who was severely beaten because other incarcerated people thought he was an informant. The court found that the Wyoming State Penitentiary was not doing enough to protect people in prison from assault. 

Source: Billings Gazette