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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 30 January 2020
Alabama to shutter aging, dilapidated prison

By KIM CHANDLER state and the Justice De-
Associated Press partment, said he was "dis-
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — appointed that we were
A state prison in Alabama not privy to the decision to
will be largely shut down close Holman at the time
because of infrastructure such a decision was being
problems, the state cor- considered." Town added
rections commissioner an- that, "we will continue to
nounced Wednesday in forge ahead in our good
the latest upheaval of a faith negotiations."
troubled system that has Alabama will continue to
struggled with crowding, house death row inmates
low staffing and violence. at Holman but the inmates
The main building of Hol- will be moved to a restric-
man Correctional Facility, tive housing unit that has
a close-security prison in separate infrastructure
Atmore, will be closed and systems. The state on Tues-
617 inmates will be sent to day night moved 21 death
other state prisons, Ala- row inmates from Donald-
bama Corrections Com- son Correctional Facility
missioner Jeff Dunn said. to Holman. The execution
The decision was made be- chamber at Holman will
cause maintenance crews still be used for carrying out
were struggling daily to In this March 12, 2016 file photo, the sign to The William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, executions and the state is
maintain sewer and elec- Ala., is displayed. consulting on how to main-
trical systems housed in a Associated Press tain the chamber, Dunn
tunnel running beneath the said. The state will also
main prison building at the maintenance attempts at announced the state will ing shortage. The Justice maintain a free-standing
51-year-old prison, Dunn Holman Correctional Facil- take steps to close part of a Department threatened dorm that will house 150
said. ity, moving quickly on our state prison that has been to file a lawsuit against the low-risk inmates serving life
Some inmates, including plans to decommission was rocked by deadly violence state unless the problems without parole sentences.
death row inmates, will re- the right and only decision," and beset by longstanding were addressed. Those inmates will work in
main at Holman in units Dunn said. problems such as broken Groups representing in- the prison industry shops
that run on separate sys- There has been a nation- toilets and moldy showers. mates said the closure will that make license plates
tems, he said. al spotlight on troubled The Department of Justice add inmates to prisons and clothing
"This is a real and serious is- prison systems in Alabama last year issued a report already struggling with The state did not give a
sue that cannot be under- and Mississippi because of condemning Alabama crowding, violence and time frame for the transfer
stated and, after learning deadly violence and un- prisons for excessive levels staffing."To be clear, this of inmates, citing security
the extent of the risks as- sanitary conditions. Missis- of violence and inmate choice will exacerbate al- reasons. The decision to
sociated with continued sippi's governor this week deaths and a critical staff- ready unacceptable lev- shutter Holman was purely
els of overcrowding and for infrastructure problems,
Georgia State Patrol fires 30-plus new understaffing in ADOC – a and not because of the
system with 40 percent of violence that has plagued
troopers for cheating required staff and 169 per- it and other prisons, Dunn
cent overcrowding. It will said.
almost certainly lead to The Southern Poverty Law
ATLANTA (AP) — An en- tober after officials learned to their rooms for studying more violence and death," Center said there have
tire graduating class of about the allegations from purposes Alabamians for Fair Justice, been at least four deaths
the Georgia State Patrol's the girlfriend of one of the McDonough said all the a collection of organiza- at Holman since early De-
Trooper School has been cadets, who said she took graduates signed an oath tions and individuals, wrote cember. The department
fired or resigned amid a the online test for him. to uphold professional con- in a letter to Dunn and announced in December
cheating scandal, the When confronted about duct and standards, which state lawmakers. that it was investigating the
state's public safety chief that, the trooper told supe- they violated, leading to CJ Sandley, a senior staff death of Willie Leon Scott,
said Wednesday. riors "He was not the only Wednesday's dismissals. He attorney with the Southern 48. The department didn't
At a news conference, one who cheated, the added that the troopers Poverty Law Center, said give specifics, but said his
Georgia Department of whole class cheated," and used typed notes, received in a statement that "rather injuries were the result of
Public Safety Commissioner that's when the decision direct assistance and uti- than pursuing band-aid so- a Dec. 4 incident at Hol-
Col. Mark W. McDonough was made to investigate lized test questions and an- lutions, Alabama's Depart- man. Moses Robinson, 38,
confirmed to news out- the entire class. swers on GroupMe and on ment of Corrections and died Dec. 31 from injuries
lets that 32 troopers were McDonough said State a website that aggregates Governor Ivey must focus sustained in an attack at
fired after being accused Patrol's investigation con- tests. He also said they used their efforts on addressing Holman, according to the
of cheating on an online firmed four allegations: two Snapchat groups to fa- overcrowding and under- department.
exam for the speed detec- every trooper cheated on cilitate the cheating and staffing." In 2016, the Holman war-
tion operator component speed detection opera- get their stories straight as Dunn told reporters that den and a correctional of-
of the school's curriculum. tor exam; a cadet helped the investigation was on- the transfer will place ad- ficer were stabbed during
One trooper resigned after another cadet with their going. ditional stress on the rest of a riot at the prison. Inmates
the cheating allegations exam; three cadets assist- McDonough said he's or- the system, but added that started a fire and posted
came to light. All 33 are Au- ed another with their exam; dered a complete audit they are working to miti- pictures of the uprising on
gust graduates of the 106th and a training instructor of the training depart- gate that impact. social media. A corrections
Trooper School. printed a makeup exam ment, which could lead U.S. Attorney Jay Town, officer at the prison was
McDonough said the in- and permitted two cadets to people higher up being who has been leading the killed in 2016 after being
vestigation began in Oc- who failed to take it back disciplined.q negotiations between the stabbed by a prisoner.q