Indiana State Prison

Indiana State Prison

Escapes and Riots

Indiana State Prison has had a turbulent history of escape attempts, with one occurring in 1976, one in October of 1975, one in September of 1975, and another in September of 1973 (NYTimes April 28 1990). In 1974, one escapee fled to nearby Indianapolis, then to a farmhouse, where he later shot and killed a woman and her teenage daughter with a gun stolen from a prison guard (NYT Dec 27 1974). Another escape incident occurred in 1966, after which the editor of the prison magazine published a plea urging the convict to surrender and return to jail, arguing that he'd be "[letting] a lot of people down, especially Warden Ward Lane" (NYT Mar 29 1966).

On April 27, 1980, guards were taken hostage by unarmed inmates, while 200 inmates barricaded themselves inside the prison's "C" block. Negotiations soon began, which included several demands from the prisoners. Of their list of grievances were medical care, individual-case review of lockup decisions, amnesty for the hostage takers, and improved media coverage of the prison itself. In March of the previous year, after a four-day hunger strike, a similar hostage-taking took places, with similar demands regarding prison conditions.

Lawsuits

In 1974, eleven convicts filed a brutality lawsuit alleging prison guards used "unnecessary force" in trying to dissolve a disturbance that occurred in 1969. The "unnecessary force" at issue here referred to the choice of prison officials to open fire with 12-gauge shotguns upon a group of 208 inmates (207 of whom were black) who were staging a sit-in protest on the prison's volleyball court. One inmate died immediately while another died shortly after in hospital from gunshot wounds. All but one of the prison guards responsible was acquitted, while the jury only awarded compensatory damages, not punitive damages (NYT Nov 27 1974).

Famous Inmates and Executions

At twelve minutes past midnight on March 9th of 1981, Stephen Judy, murderer of four, was executed in the electric chair. In 1979, Judy tricked a 21-year old woman into thinking her car was running on a flat tire and got her to pull over to onto the gravel shoulder of the Indianapolis interstate. After secretly disabling her car's ignition wire, he convinced the family to ride along with him to the nearest service station to get their car fixed. Instead, he drove them to a secluded area and murdered them (1981, Mar 9 NYT). The bodies were later discovered by mushroom hunters in a creek (NYT Feb 18 1981).

The four murders quickly became known as the "flat-tire murders" in the news media, and it was soon learned that Judy had been on parole during the time of the murders. Investigation also revealed a history of assault charges that included raping and stabbing a woman with a hatchet when he was only 13 years old.

In 1933, John Dillinger made his first bank heist after just being paroled from Indiana State Prison, beginning what was then known as the "Midwest Crime Wave" of the 1930s. The New Carlisle National Bank at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets surrendered $10,000 to Dillinger and 2 other men.

>> Latest News

1 April 2006

Beginning in May, Indiana State Prison will join 3 other Indiana prisons in switching from burning natural gas to burning inmate-picked corn, in a move to increase energy-saving and efficiency in Indiana's power supply. The new form of power that helps heat, light and cool inmates' cells will save taxpayers approximately $7 million over the next 10 years.

In a $30 million contract with Johnson Controls Inc, the Indiana Department of Corrections will install boilers that will use corn-fueled biomass, increase water-conservation devices, and improve lighting and ventilation facilities. Corn will be supplied by both inmate labour and Indiana-local growers. Since becoming commissioner for the DOC, David Donahue has privatized one Indiana facility, saved food and healthcare costs, and introduced new rehabilitative programs for methamphetamine users facing release from prison.

The other 3 institutions participating in the energy plan are Westville Correctional Facility, Pendleton Correctional Facility, and Plainfield. Along with these institutions, Indiana State Prison is among the least energy-efficient prison in the state.

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