By Ashley Remkus
The Decatur Daily
DECATUR, Ala. — The waiting area for inmate visitation at the Morgan County Jail resembled a ghost town Sunday morning. Only empty chairs, silence and multiple copies of a written message from the warden filled the typically boisterous room.
Officials turned away many visitors following a physical altercation between an inmate and guard that sent both men to the hospital and put the jail on lockdown early Sunday, authorities said.
Sheriff Ana Franklin said the male inmate, whose name is being withheld until warrants are obtained for his arrest, likely will face charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer and attempting to escape.
“One of the inmates that has been a problem for us and caused issues before called for the deputy and attacked the deputy when he came to him,” Franklin said. “Other deputies came in to try and subdue the inmate and get him calmed down. It seems like he was trying to escape, but there’s not really any way he could get out of our jail.”
The officer and inmate were taken to Decatur Morgan Hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.
“The inmate tried to escape from (the hospital), too,” Franklin said. “We had multiple deputies on-scene at the hospital to make sure everything went smoothly.”
She said the jail’s already short-handed staff was unable to host visitation and church services most of the morning and afternoon because they were working a large number of calls and emergency situations.
Micheal Orr said the incident kept him from seeing his brother on one of the year’s most important days.
“It’s his birthday,” Orr said. “I just wanted to come see him and tell him happy birthday.”
While some people hoping to visit friends and relatives drove many miles only to be turned away, Decatur resident Ponitha Everhart said it was also frustrating for those who live close by.
“My husband is in here,” Everhart said as she pointed toward the jail. “I was wanting to come visit him. A lot of the time when this kind of stuff happens, it’s because they don’t think inmates deserve to be loved and see their friends and families. But everybody deserves that.”
Visitation resumed about 2 p.m., Franklin said.
Normal Sunday visiting hours are 9-10:45 a.m. and noon to 3:45 p.m. On weekdays, inmates can have visits between 8-10:45 a.m. and noon to 3:45 p.m. Saturday hours are 8-10:45 a.m. and noon to 2:15 p.m. Each visit lasts 15 minutes and is conducted via video monitor.
Franklin said the names of the guard and inmate will be available as soon as charges are filed.