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Riot At Ely Max

Friday, 23 March 2007

    Ely State Prison inmates are reportedly on severe locked down following widespread violent disturbances in protest over new uniform regulations.
    Prisoners allegedly attacked correctional officers, throwing feces, urine and other foul substances in apparent protest of a new directive that inmates jumpsuits while eating.
    According to confidential sources Ely State Prison allegedly experienced a series of reported disturbances including the flooding of tiers and small fires in the cell blocks, as a result of requiring inmates be dressed in jump suits before getting their meals. The requirement for the particular mode of dress is allegedly intended to prevent correctional staff members from being exposed to partially dressed inmates in the cells as they are fed.
    For three days, starting on the 15th, inmates started fires on the tiers, flooded their cells by plugging drains and propelled foul or nasty substances at correctional staff. The protest was apparently in response to the recent enforcement of the jump suit policy.
    Sources further reported that extra correctional officers had to be called in on overtime to deal with the disturbances which were exacerbated by chronic staff shortages.
    The order requiring jump suits for dinner resulted from a fear that staff members would be exposed to naked or partially naked male prisoners since they typically are not always fully dressed in their cells.
    Ely State Prison, Nevada?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s only maximum security institution, does not allow the majority of the prison population to leave their cells except on a limited basis and many inmates are routinely fed inside their cells. The prisoners do not eat in the mess hall unless they are part of the inside work force and are often escorted in manacles and shackles due to their maximum security status.
    The new policy that required that everybody use jump suits, in which they are not normally allowed to dress, was apparently viewed by inmates as ludicrous. The riotous response that resulted may have been effective. After three days the policy was rescinded by Warden E.K. McDaniel who has been in charge of the maximum security institution for ten years.
    Unconfirmed reports were that the jump suits required for dinner originated with prison administration officials at a state wide level.
    Ely State Prison has recently had a spate of prisoners protest do to the overcrowded conditions and left incidents of inmates?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢ violence. According to inmates, the violence has resulted for ?¢‚Ç¨?ìdouble bunking?¢‚Ç¨¬ù and handcuff maximum security inmates in their cells. This policy of double bunking and handcuff prisoners precipitated a murder of an inmate by his cell mate.
    Douglas Potters is currently charged with capital murder. He allegedly killed his cell mate inside the cell while correctional staff were shackling the victim from outside the cell and thus unable to respond to protecting him.
    According to recent court testimony Ely State Prison is currently working understaffed by 47, which results in insufficient correctional officers to properly staff the prison.

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