by Laurence Hammack | Aug 26, 2000 | Prisons
As a bus full of convicts made its way from Connecticut to the western tip of Virginia, Lawrence Frazier had good reason to fear what awaited him at the mountaintop prison that would be his final destination. Frazier, a diabetic inmate, later said he nearly died...
by Laurence Hammack | Jul 6, 2000 | Prisons
A Connecticut inmate at Wallens Ridge State Prison died five days after being shocked repeatedly with a stun gun and then strapped to a bed, prompting yet another volley of criticism aimed at the “supermax” lockup. Authorities have not determined if the...
by Laurence Hammack | Jun 7, 2000 | Courts/legal issues
It was 2:30 a.m. by the time Mike Niday got home, and the beers he’d drunk with friends soon lulled him into a peaceful sleep. Two hours later, the electronic shriek of smoke alarms jolted him awake. “I got up and looked out the door and...
by Laurence Hammack | May 21, 2000 | Investigative reporting
Men who beat their wives or girlfriends can also beat the system. Many are never arrested. While Roanoke police responded to 4,535 calls of domestic violence last year and magistrates heard countless other complaints, just 1,139 assault charges were resolved in court....
by Laurence Hammack | Mar 1, 2000 | Prisons
The warden of Wallens Ridge State Prison removed Confederate memorabilia from his office recently after critics called it unsuitable for a supermax facility where guards have been accused of racial intolerance. Criticism came mostly from Connecticut lawmakers, who...