By Lois Clermont and Joe LoTemplio
Press-Republican
DANNEMORA — The unrest at Clinton Correctional Facility continued over the weekend, sources tell the Press-Republican.
The latest incidents marked the third time large-scale fights between inmates at the prison in Dannemora have taken place within the past 10 days.
Both prisoners and staff were injured this time.
Sources inside the prison said a correction officer was knocked unconscious by an inmate around 11 a.m. Saturday. The officer was transported to the University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital for treatment.
On Sunday, about 60 inmates were involved in a fight in the recreation yard. Correction officers fired chemical agents into the yard to quell that disturbance, but sources say the yard wasn’t fully cleared until 2:15 a.m. Monday.
The State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision would not confirm anything about an alleged fight.
In response to Press-Republican questions, spokeswoman Taylor Vogt issued a two-sentence statement Monday that said only that the prison “has been operating on a modified schedule this holiday weekend. All scheduled programs are expected to resume tomorrow.”
Chris Hansen, vice president of the Northeastern Region for the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, did not return calls Monday.
Clinton Correctional went into lockdown on Friday, Aug. 28, after fights that night and the previous evening.
Last week, DOCCS Director of Public Information Tom Mailey told the Press-Republican that lockdown was, in large part, scheduled to end over the holiday weekend, with meals being served in the mess hall once again and inmates getting access to recreation, showers and phones.
“Normal operations, with all scheduled programs, are expected to resume next Tuesday,” Mailey had said.
The previous fights between inmates resulted in several prisoners being injured.
During the Aug. 27 fight, correction officers fired warning shots, and six inmates were arrested, Hansen had said earlier.
On Aug. 28, teargas was used to break up fights.
A facility-wide search held as part of the lockdown turned up weapons and drugs, Hansen said.
DOCCS has not revealed details about those fights either but did say the department “took proactive steps to lock down the facility to ensure the safety of staff and others.”
Hansen had told the Press-Republican that the Aug. 28 fight was the fourth since late May that required weapons or tear gas to restore order.
The May riots took place shortly before the June 6 escape of convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat.
During the manhunt, correction officers told the Press-Republican that DOCCS had denied a request from Clinton leadership in May to lock down the facility and conduct cell-to-cell searches.
Had that been allowed, they have said, the holes cut in the backs of Matt’s and Sweat’s cells in A Block would have been found and the escape foiled.