Cascade County Detention Center, Great Falls, Montana
July 28, 2018
Five days after the Sheriff of Great Falls issued a memo warning of rising tensions and refusing to accept new inmates held on nonviolent crimes due to conditions of overcrowding, an uprising broke out in one of the jails housing pods.
On Saturday morning, as many as 36 prisoners housed in Pod N took control of the unit and started destroying prison infrastructure. The prisoners held control of the unit for four hours, destroying as much prison property as possible.
At the time of the uprising, there were 43 prisoners housed in Pod N, which was designed to hold 28.
The jail’s commander Dan O’Fallon discussed the damages. “We lost TVs, we lost the cameras, we lost all the panels. Our entire fire sprinkler system was destroyed in that housing unit. They’d broken the doors, basically as far as the hinges go. Actually, they bent the whole door frames.”
Following the uprising, 14 prisoners received charges for the uprising.
Citations:
“Cascade County jail riot damages total more than $22,000“, Great Falls Tribune, August 10, 2018.
“Sheriff Edwards: Riot reported at Cascade County Detention Center“, Great Falls Tribune, July 28, 2018.
“Riot contained at Cascade County Detention Facility“, KULR, July 28, 2018.
“14 inmates charged for riot at Cascade County jail“, KTVQ, September 24, 2018.
“Inmates riot for 4 hours in Great Falls jail, no injuries“, Billings Gazette, Associated Press, July 28, 2018.
“Cascade County Attorney releases names of inmates charged in jail riot“, Great Falls Tribune, September 24, 2018.
“14 inmates charged for riot at Cascade County jail“, KRTV, September 24, 2018.
Background:
“County jail to stop booking misdemeanor and nonviolent offenders due to overcrowding concerns“, Great Falls Tribune, July 23, 2018.
