JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
It's had documented problems over the years. The building structure falling apart, and accusations of guards mistreating inmates. Were talking about the Hinds county jail in Raymond.
Even though there's a new Sheriff in town, the claims of problems continue.
Over the last week our newsroom has received several calls of issues at the jail in Raymond.
They're all issues the sheriff's department denies. Last Thursday we asked Hinds county Sheriff Tyrone Lewis if there had been riots or other problems at the jail. His response no.
Sheriff Lewis says the jail has it's issues with inmates acting up from time to time, and sometimes extra deputies are called in.
The jail has a history of complaints, blamed mostly on poor construction where the doors are falling off.
Sheriff Lewis says inmates have let themselves out of their cells, and that's when what they call minor incidents happen. But are they minor incidents?
This week Captain Joseph Daughtry was quoted in the paper, saying three jailers were actually injured in a recent scuffle in the jail. Sources inside the jail tell WLBT news, last Friday, 13 inmates were sent to the infirmary after a violent fight in pod B between gangs, that involved shanks.
Sheriff Lewis says it's disgruntled employees who are making the claims of unrest in the jail.
The sheriff's department says fights are not unusual. But sources say they're happening often, and have escalated recently.
They may not have reached the level of a riot at this point, but it's become such a concern for those working in the jail, that they are reaching out to the local media, to get it resolved.
We tried to get a response to comments made by the Sheriff's department about the incident in which the deputies were injured. Our calls to Sheriff Lewis and Chief Chris Picou were not returned.
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