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Three guards at Gouverneur Correctional injured in inmate assault

Posted 1/20/14

GOUVERNEUR -- An assault on guards at Gouverneur Correctional Facility last Thursday morning resulted in minor injury to three guards, according to the union for the prison guards. On Jan. 16 at …

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Three guards at Gouverneur Correctional injured in inmate assault

Posted

GOUVERNEUR -- An assault on guards at Gouverneur Correctional Facility last Thursday morning resulted in minor injury to three guards, according to the union for the prison guards.

On Jan. 16 at about 8:45 a.m., inmate Jonathan Mills was being escorted to the special housing unit by two officers and a sergeant. While being uncuffed, Mills, 50, struck one of the officers in the side of the face, according to a news release from the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.

Mills then struggled violently with the two officers and the sergeant as they tried to subdue him. He was able to kick one of the officers in the face during the struggle. They eventually were able to get him restrained, the news release said.

During the assault the officers sustained abrasions, scrapes and bruises, and one officer might have sustained a broken wrist.

Mills is serving 25 years to life term after being convicted for second-degree murder and second-degree possession of a weapon.

The news release from the New York State Correctional Officers said that they were among eight officers assaulted in three separate incidents in Franklin and St. Lawrence County state medium security facilities during the last several days.

NYSCOPBA President Donn Rowe says violence in prisons is at a five-year high.

“There were more assaults by inmates on staff. There were more assaults on other inmates and assaults were proportionately more likely to result in injuries. This clearly indicates there is a correlation between prison closures that have already occurred and the increase of violent offenders that are incarcerated in our prisons,” Rowe said.