Boyd County Detention Center, Catlettsburg, Kentucky
August 19, 2017
Prisoners damaged the sprinkler system in their cell and when guards responded by shutting off the water, the prisoners attacked. They forced their cell door open and stacked blankets, toilet paper, mail and other flammable items against both hallway entry doors and set them on fire.
Following the uprising, 70 prisoners were transferred to other facilities across the state while the jail was repaired.
Less than a month previous, four prisoners had escaped from the same facility.
In the following year, the jail continued to be plagued by escapes and deaths by drug overdose among prisoners.
Citations:
“Past the mop closet and out the fire exit, 4 inmates escape in Boyd“, Lexington Herald-Leader, July 30, 2017
“Boyd County jail inmates riot, set fire inside“, The Daily Independent, August 20, 2017.
“70 inmates moved after small riot at Boyd Co. jail“, WKYT, August 20, 2017.
“UPDATE: Section of jail back open after prison riot“, WSAZ, September 19, 2017.
“UPDATE: Escaped inmate says Boyd Co. jail needs ‘shut down’ after 6th escape“, WSAZ, November 23, 2017.
“UPDATE: Fourth and final escaped inmate from Boyd Co. Jail in custody,” WSAZ, January 17, 2018.
Update:
“Another inmate dead at Boyd County Detention Center“, The Daily Independent, November 29, 2018.
“UPDATE: Families fearful as 2 Boyd Co. inmates die within 70 hours of each other,” WSAZ, December 2, 2018.
“Boyd County jailer resigns after inmate deaths“, WKYT, December 4, 2018.
