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foundduringThomastonTHOMASTON, Maine (UPI) - Independent observers Friday toured the Maine State Prison for the first time since the start of a “lockdown” and massive cell-by-cell search which has uncovered clubs, knives and other weapons.Transfer of prisoners to alleviate overcrowding also began.“An assortment of homemade knives, homemade clubs, razorblade-type knives, blackjacks and numchucks were found,” said Corrections Director and Acting Warden Donald Allen.A numchuck is a Chinese weapon consisting of two clubs tied together with rawhide.Material believed to be marijuana was also found at the maximum securityfacility currently housing 365 inmates.Gov. Joseph E. Brennan Wednesday ordered a “lockdown” of the prison for a thorough search for weapons and contraband, claiming the facility was dominated by “bullies” and posed a potential for disaster.The search is expected to last about two weeks.The seven-member panel, including an officer of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, a clergyman and members of the state Legislature, was still touring the prison late Friday.They were named by the governor “to see that inmate rights are not being violated and . that no procedural irregularities are taking place.”Concannon said the panel was brought in because “at times you can have trouble seeing the forest through the trees.”The only incident reported since the search began was an inmate’s assault on a guard with a piece of wood in the prisoner’s cell, and about 25 minor fires.The guard suffered minor bruises and cuts on his wrist, and was treated at the prison infirmary. The inmate was transferred to the segregation unit pending a hearing.Allen said he believed most of the weapons found were not intended for offensive purposes, but “many of the inmates in the Maine State Prison armed themselves for defensive purposes.Three prisoners with 90 or fewer days to serve were transferred Friday to minimum security state facilities and other transfers will follow, Concannon said.A “potential of 15 to 18 p e r s o n s,mostly troublemakers, have been selected for possible transfer to federal prisons, he said.The panel which toured the prison included: Sen. Thomas R. Perkins, R-Blue Hill; Rep. Sandra K. Prescott, D-Bangor; Rep. Laurence E. Connolly Jr., D-Portland; Cumberland County Sheriff Charles Sharpe; inmate advocate Skip MacGowan; the Rev. James Widmer of Thomaston Baptist Church and Kermit V. Lipez of the Maine Civil Liberties Union.
Newspaper Details
Biddeford Journal Tribune
Biddeford, Maine, US
Sat, Apr 19, 1980
Page 56
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
ME, USA 14 Aug 2019
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