Prisons Alabama

A group of Cuban inmates fighting deportation to their homeland took over part of a federal prison Wednesday and were holding 11 hostages, authorities said. One worker at the Talladega Federal Correctional Institution was injured slightly in the takeover, officials said. Prison officials described the area seized by the inmates as a housing unit known as "Alpha Unit."

A year after becoming the first state to bring back chain gangs, Alabama has yielded to pressure and permanently banned the practice. "They realized that chaining them together was inefficient, that it was unsafe," said attorney Richard Cohen of the Southern Poverty Law Center, whose lawsuit challenged chain gangs as cruel punishment.

A truck carrying cement blocks rolled into a federal prison Saturday along with additional police cars, trucks and vans as a takeover by hostage-taking Cuban inmates entered its fourth day. Warden Roger F. Scott of Talladega Federal Correctional Institution characterized conditions inside as calm, but dozens of cars, trucks, vans and a flatbed truck carrying the cement blocks rolled into the prison during the night. Two helicopters also landed.

Alabama's prison commissioner, who won praise from tough-on-crime politicians for reviving chain gangs, was fired after announcing plans to put female prisoners in leg irons too. "There will be no woman on any chain gang in the state of Alabama today, tomorrow or any time under my watch," Republican Gov. Forrest "Fob" James Jr. said in a statement announcing the resignation of Ron Jones. The governor did not know about the idea until he read about it in the papers Friday, his spokesman said.

Alabama's prison commissioner, who won praise from tough-on-crime politicians for reviving chain gangs, was fired after announcing plans to put female prisoners in leg irons too. "There will be no woman on any chain gang in the state of Alabama today, tomorrow or any time under my watch," Republican Gov. Forrest "Fob" James Jr. said in a statement announcing the resignation of Ron Jones. The governor did not know about the idea until he read about it in the papers Friday, his spokesman said.

Prison officials reported some progress Friday in talks with Cuban inmates, two days after the prisoners grabbed a high-security unit and took 10 hostages on the eve of being deported to their homeland. Prescription medication was delivered Thursday night for two hostages and two prisoners through a grille that covers an entry in the high-security unit at Talladega Federal Correctional Institution. Warden Roger Scott said the medication was for "non-life-threatening" conditions.

A year after becoming the first state to bring back chain gangs, Alabama has yielded to pressure and permanently banned the practice. "They realized that chaining them together was inefficient, that it was unsafe," said attorney Richard Cohen of the Southern Poverty Law Center, whose lawsuit challenged chain gangs as cruel punishment.

An Alabama prison resounded with the thud of heavy hammers on rock Monday as a policy of getting tough on criminals brought the return of rock-breaking chain gangs. Three months after Alabama became the first state to revive chain gangs, 160 inmates, shackled together in leg irons, were put to work in the sweltering heat crushing limestone with sledgehammers.

An Alabama prison resounded with the thud of heavy hammers on rock Monday as a policy of getting tough on criminals brought the return of rock-breaking chain gangs. Three months after Alabama became the first state to revive chain gangs, 160 inmates, shackled together in leg irons, were put to work in the sweltering heat crushing limestone with sledgehammers.

A truck carrying cement blocks rolled into a federal prison Saturday along with additional police cars, trucks and vans as a takeover by hostage-taking Cuban inmates entered its fourth day. Warden Roger F. Scott of Talladega Federal Correctional Institution characterized conditions inside as calm, but dozens of cars, trucks, vans and a flatbed truck carrying the cement blocks rolled into the prison during the night. Two helicopters also landed.

Prison officials reported some progress Friday in talks with Cuban inmates, two days after the prisoners grabbed a high-security unit and took 10 hostages on the eve of being deported to their homeland. Prescription medication was delivered Thursday night for two hostages and two prisoners through a grille that covers an entry in the high-security unit at Talladega Federal Correctional Institution. Warden Roger Scott said the medication was for "non-life-threatening" conditions.

A group of Cuban inmates fighting deportation to their homeland took over part of a federal prison Wednesday and were holding 11 hostages, authorities said. One worker at the Talladega Federal Correctional Institution was injured slightly in the takeover, officials said. Prison officials described the area seized by the inmates as a housing unit known as "Alpha Unit."