Comment on Wrongful Death Lawsuits Filed in South Carolina Prison Riot That Killed 7 Inmates

Wrongful Death Lawsuits Filed in South Carolina Prison Riot That Killed 7 Inmates

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — Two lawsuits filed Tuesday allege that South Carolina corrections officials violated prisoners’ constitutional rights by failing to prevent a riot in which seven inmates were killed last year. In the lawsuits, advance copies of which were provided to The Associated Press before they were filed, representatives for the estates of two male inmates killed in the April 2018 insurrection at Lee Correctional Institution say security officers and agency personnel knew about dangerous problems at the prison but did nothing to fix them, violating the men’s due process rights and subjecting them to cruel and unusual punishment. The suits, filed by the estates of Raymond Angelo Scott and Corey Scott, who were not related, blame Corrections Department officials for numerous problems, including broken cell door locks, chronic overcrowding and understaffing they say made it easier for inmates bent on violence to get away with having homemade knives, hatchets and other contraband weapons. With only one officer monitoring more than a hundred inmates in the dorm — a regular occurrence due to staffing shortages, officials have said — Lee inmates were “largely left unsupervised throughout the day and night,” leading to a dangerous situation, according to the lawsuits. No charges have been filed in the riot, which raged for more than seven hours in Bishopville, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Columbia.

 

Comment On This Story

Welcome to Wopular!

Welcome to Wopular

Wopular is an online newspaper rack, giving you a summary view of the top headlines from the top news sites.

Senh Duong (Founder)
Wopular, MWB, RottenTomatoes

Subscribe to Wopular's RSS Fan Wopular on Facebook Follow Wopular on Twitter Follow Wopular on Google Plus

MoviesWithButter : Our Sister Site

More News