Minnesota prison resolves standoff with defiant inmates.
Minnesota Prison Resolves Inmate Situation Amid High Temperatures
STILLWATER, Minn.—A Minnesota prison has successfully resolved a situation involving about 100 inmates in one housing unit who refused to return to their cells on Sunday. This act of “self-preservation” occurred due to the high temperatures in the region, according to a former inmate.
The Department of Corrections spokesperson stated that the situation remained calm and peaceful throughout the day. The incarcerated individuals expressed dissatisfaction with the understaffed facility’s limited time out of their cells.
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Advocates outside the Stillwater prison, including family members of inmates, expressed their support for the inmates’ frustrations. They cited the excessive heat, lack of air conditioning, and limited access to showers and ice during lockdowns as the main concerns.
The prison, located in Bayport, was under an afternoon heat advisory with temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius).
“My organization received calls from inmates who are currently inside,” said Marvina Haynes of Minnesota Wrongfully Convicted Judicial Reform, whose brother is an inmate at Stillwater.
David Boehnke of Twin Cities Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee confirmed that the inmates decided not to return to their cells in the morning. The department acknowledged that the inmates had been on lockdown due to the holiday weekend, resulting in limited access to facilities.
Bart Andersen, the executive director of the union representing Stillwater’s correctional officers, stated that this incident highlights the chronic understaffing issues within the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Haynes, Boehnke, and Cathy Stroud Caldwell explained that the inmate action was a spontaneous response to unsafe conditions, including access to clean drinking water, which they claim is discolored. The department refuted these claims, stating that there is no lack of clean water in the facility.
Haynes expressed the hope of meeting with officials to discuss the inmates’ living conditions and find solutions for the future.
During the emergency lockdown, two correctional officers remained in a secure control area and maintained contact with facility staff. There were no further incidents.
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