JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Among those hurt in the past week’s violence in Mississippi prisons, is an inmate scheduled for release next month.
Jermone Mitchell fears his son’s remaining time will be dangerous after three inmates at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman were killed.
Mitchell said his son is scheduled for release in February, after a seven year sentence. He said his son was stabbed 10 times on Sunday night in Unit 29.
According to Mitchell, MDOC is not creating safe conditions for the inmates.
“I’m very concerned, and I know other families are, too. And we’re not getting no answers from MDOC. They’re covering everything up and hiding,” said Mitchell.
MDOC said it’s working “tirelessly and aggressively” to figure out what led to the violence.
Mitchell said the bigger problem is a lack of funding for guards, and said his son tells him the prison is overcrowded and the guards are overworked. “They’re working 16-17 hour shifts, some of them 24 hour shifts, some of them not even going home.”
Parchman and all other state prisons remain on lockdown. MDOC said it’s moved inmates at Parchman to more secure housing on prison grounds to try and contain the violence.
