Alabama Jail Inmates Set Fires, Protest Rule on Visits

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By Times Daily

Published: 10/28/2002

Inmates voiced displeasure about a change in visitation procedures last week by setting two fires in the Colbert County Jail, officials said.
One inmate was taken to Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield after complaining of breathing problems related to the smoke, said Sheriff Ronnie May. Another inmate was treated at the scene.
May said neither inmate appeared to be injured but was checked out as a precaution.
May said the jail did not receive major damage, but a complete assessment should be completed this morning.
The sheriff will also consider disciplinary action today against the inmates responsible for the fires. The possible penalties could include loss of visiting privileges, loss of telephone access, limited television privileges and limited snacks.
Inmates were notified about 5 p.m. Wednesday of plans to change the jail's visitation policies for weekend visits. May said inmates have had virtually unlimited visitors during the 1-4 p.m. weekend visits.
The change involves allowing inmates to list three or four people who will be allowed to visit them each month. May said the list can be changed at the start of each month.
'Some of them made comments at the time the memos were delivered to them that they were not going to accept it and there would be trouble tonight,' May said Wednesday. 'We had our first fire alarm less than 30 minutes later.'
The first fire was reported shortly after 5 p.m.
May said the fires were set in different areas of the upstairs portion of the jail. He said they were started by inmates who stripped away covering from some wiring. They rubbed the wires together until they created a spark and applied it to paper.
May said there are no plans to alter the visitation procedure as a result of the protest from the inmates involved.
May said it's not uncommon for 70-80 people to visit inmates on weekends.
He said some people have been visiting as many as five inmates during the three-hour period.
He said only one CO is assigned to oversee visitation and cannot handle such a large number of visitors.
May said at least five contraband cases have been made against inmates and visitors since the spring.
Jail personnel have found money, drugs, tobacco products, cigarette lighters and reading materials that are prohibited.
In some cases, some have purposely swallowed batteries and other articles.

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