By C1 Staff
SPRINGVILLE – Alabama’s top prison official responded to a federal lawsuit that alleges poor leadership and unsafe conditions resulted in a spike of violence and murder at St. Clair Correctional Facility.
AL.com reports that Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Kim Thomas issued a written statement calling the lawsuit “unfortunate” and pledged to improve the prison.
His response in full:
“Inmate and staff safety is a top priority for the Alabama Department of Corrections, and we do not tolerate inmate abuse in any of our facilities. Whenever allegations are reported against both inmates and officers and backed by credible evidence, ADOC takes appropriate action to hold people accountable. St. Clair Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison housing dangerous people who have committed serious acts of violence like murder, rape, robbery and burglary. However, the department has undertaken a number of measures to improve safety. Thanks to funding this fiscal year, the ADOC was recently able to begin replacing doors, locks and controlling mechanisms at the facility.
The department has been meeting routinely with members of the Equal Justice Initiative to discuss concerns about St. Clair, and regrets that they have chosen to file a lawsuit instead of continuing to work together to make the facility better. There are many hard working correctional employees at St. Clair who are committed to maintaining order and peace inside the prison. We will continue our efforts to make improvements to St. Clair to better serve the inmates and correctional staff at the facility.”
The Equal Justice Initiative filed the lawsuit in federal court on behalf of St. Clair inmates; it seeks relief from cruel and unusual punishment, an unannounced prison inspection, and legal fees.