Inmates allege abuse from correction officers after January attack

SHIRLEY, Mass. — After a Jan. 10 incident where a group of inmates assaulted three corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, numerous groups allege that correction officers have abused inmates, according to a release from the Prisoners’ Legal Services.

The National Association of Social Workers, Prisoners’ Legal Services, the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Families for Justice as Healing have received more than 100 reports from inmates and their families asking for help, their release said. They are calling for a full, independent investigation.

The State House News Service reported that inmates have been physically abused, not allowed to bathe and denied contact with family and attorneys, among other things.

“Prisoners with attack dogs inches away from them, and what frustrates me is that some of the Department of Corrections [have] said, ‘well the inmate must have lunged at a dog,’” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge, of Shirley. “That is perverse.”

A lawsuit was filed Friday by the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Committee for Public Counsel Services alleging inmates haven’t been allowed to make phone calls, even to attorneys, and attorneys haven’t been allowed to visit their clients for nearly two weeks, the release said.

“Folks only get 15 minutes to choose between a shower and a phone call,” said Ayana Aubourg, of Families for Justice and Healing. “But with this indefinite lockdown, families have been left in the dark and have no idea what’s going on with their loved ones. It’s taken 15 to 20 days to receive responses, to receive phone calls from their loved ones.”

Family members and advocates of those in prison plan to call for a “comprehensive investigation and reforms," according to SHNS.

When the attack on correctional officers happened in January, an officer was in general population unit N1 when inmates surrounded and assaulted the officer, according to Department of Corrections spokesperson Jason Dobson.

Two other corrections officers were assaulted when they were called for help via radio. The prison was put on lockdown mode, which restricts movement and visits.

Senator Eldridge claims inmates who had nothing to do with the January incident are being punished and that the Department of Corrections leadership has told him those actions are necessary to keep the peace.

“You can’t lie about people getting shipped to outside hospitals,” said Jurrell Laronal, a former inmate. “And you can’t lie about all these different organizations, including legislators, who go in there individually and [are] coming back with the same story.”

The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union did not return Boston 25 News’ request for comment by time of publication.

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