The Struggle Continues: 2 Inmates Beaten To Death At Mississippi State Penitentiary

KEY POINTS

Two inmates became the recent victims of violence inside Mississippi prisons
The victims were killed after fighting with other inmates
The state's penal system continues its struggle with violence as the string of incidents continue to rise

Mississippi's penal system continues its struggle with violence as two inmates were killed at the State Penitentiary in Parchman early Tuesday.

35-year-old Hudspeth and 36-year-old James Talley died after the two were beaten to their deaths while fighting with other inmates.

Hudspeth was serving a 10-year sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while Talley was on an 11-year sentence for two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, said the Associated Press, citing police statement.

The severity of the overcrowding screams out from the hatches in cell doors, which guards are reluctant to open for fear of the prisoners inside AFP / FADEL SENNA

Sunflower County Coroner Heather Burton also told the outlet that both victims died from “blunt force beating injuries.”

The deaths of Hudspeth and Talley came after Gabriel Carmen was found hanging inside his cell Sunday.

Correction officials told Burton that Gabriel had been irate and was throwing feces before his suicide and that his cell lock had been “jammed from inside the cell.”

Two inmates were killed in Parchman last night. At this moment, it appears to be an isolated incident—not a continuation of the recent retaliatory killings. The Parchman chaplain has reached out to the next of kin.
— MDOC (@MS_MDOC) January 21, 2020

While they didn't immediately provide information on the recent deaths, NBC News said the state's Correction Department tweeted that it was an “isolated incident” and was not related to the “recent retaliatory killings.”

The string of violence among inmates has lead to a lockdown across all prisons in the state, it added.

The Parchman-based prison had three deaths from December 29 to January 3. During that span, two more inmates were killed in separate prisons, while two more escaped Parchman on January 3 but was later captured, according to Time.

We have been working around the clock with MDOC and DPS to respond immediately and prevent this going forward. There is much more to be done here. We have asked them to provide as much information to the public as possible as quickly as possible. Transparency is the first step. https://t.co/ouMtp0mdQt
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) January 21, 2020

On January 14, more than two dozen inmates sued the state, reiterating their inhumane living conditions, alongside understaffed prisons and that they are “plagued by violence.”

Rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gotti are paying the attorneys' fees. The latter's “philanthropic group,” Team Roc, is scheduled to host a rally Friday in Jackson to voice out their laments against the conditions of the inmates, said the Associated Press.