Breaking News: Illegal Immigrants Riot Inside Mississippi prison

1 dead, 19 hurt in riot at privately run illegal immigration prison in Mississippi

Chaos reigned for nearly 12 hours before 2,500 prisoners were secured

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, May 21, 2012, 12:08 PM.

JACKSON, Miss. — A privately run prison in Mississippi for illegal immigrants remained on lockdown Monday after a riot that began a day earlier left one guard dead and at least 19 people injured, officials said.

All of the roughly 2,500 inmates were secured in their housing units at the Adams County Correctional Facility by 2:45 a.m., nearly 12 hours after the riot began, Mike Machak, a spokesman for the company that owns the facility, said in a statement.

The prison remained on lockdown, and officials were assessing damage at the southwest Mississippi prison owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corp. of America, the statement said.

The 2,567-bed prison near Natchez houses adult male illegal immigrants, most of whom re-entered the U.S. after being deported, said Emilee Beach, a prison spokeswoman.

Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman Chris Burke said the facility holds low-security inmates.

The statement from Machak early Monday said prison employees would work closely with law enforcement to investigate the riot.

“CCA will support full prosecution under the law for all inmates identified as having committed criminal acts during the disturbance,” the statement said.

Prison officials have not identified the guard who died.

Machak said 16 other employees were treated and released from a hospital for various injuries. Three inmates were hurt.

According to its website, CCA houses about 75,000 offenders and detainees in more than 60 facilities around the country.

Sunday’s riot is not the first time CCA prisons have seen disturbances.

In 2004, inmates at another CCA prison in Mississippi, the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, set fire to mattresses, clothing and a portable toilet. No injuries were reported. The company announced after that disturbance that it would add about 25 guards at the Tallahatchie County facility.

In Idaho, the high level of violence at a CCA-run prison has prompted federal lawsuits, public scrutiny and increased state oversight. In 2010, Vermont inmates being held at a CCA prison in Tennessee were subdued with chemical grenades after refusing to return to their cells.