“Federal prison violence spotlight” : High-profile prisoners Chauvin and Nassar attacked in federal prisons, raising concerns about inmate safety

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, was brutally attacked in a federal prison in Arizona. Chauvin was stabbed nearly two dozen times by a fellow inmate at a medium-security federal prison in Tucson. This incident, along with the recent stabbing of Larry Nassar, the ex-U.S. women’s gymnastics team doctor who sexually abused athletes, at a federal penitentiary in Florida, has raised concerns about the ability of the crisis-ridden federal Bureau of Prisons to ensure the safety of its inmates.

The attacks on Chauvin and Nassar have once again brought the spotlight on the Bureau of Prisons’ failure to protect high-profile prisoners from harm. The agency has faced criticism in the past for the beating death of gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in 2018 and financier Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide in 2019. These incidents have raised questions about the agency’s ability to safeguard inmates of notoriety.

Chauvin, aged 47, was assaulted on November 24 in the law library of the Tucson prison, which is the same facility where an inmate attempted to shoot a visitor last year using a contraband gun. The suspected attacker, a former gang leader, reportedly told correctional officers that he would have killed Chauvin if they had not intervened. He now faces charges of attempted murder and has been transferred to a federal penitentiary nearby. Chauvin’s family is deeply concerned about his safety in the facility, according to his lawyer Gregory Erickson.

Nassar, aged 60, was ambushed in his cell at a federal penitentiary in Coleman, Florida on July 9. Other inmates intervened and stopped the attacker before officers arrived. These incidents raise serious concerns about the state of the Bureau of Prisons and its ability to protect all 158,000 federal prisoners. The agency is plagued by severe staffing shortages, instances of staff-on-inmate abuse, broken surveillance cameras, and deteriorating infrastructure.

The recent violence challenges the perception that federal prisons are safer than state prisons. In both cases, the attackers had violent histories. Advocacy groups like Families Against Mandatory Minimums have called for comprehensive independent oversight of the Bureau of Prisons to address these incidents and ensure the safety of inmates.

An ongoing Associated Press investigation has uncovered deep-rooted problems within the Bureau of Prisons. These include rampant sexual abuse, staff criminal conduct, numerous escapes, violence, deaths, and understaffing, which have hampered responses to emergencies such as inmate assaults and suicides. The agency, with its large staff, extensive prison facilities, and substantial budget, has drawn increased oversight from Congress and government watchdogs.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has identified management failures, flawed policies, and incompetence as contributing factors in Bulger’s killing and Epstein’s suicide. The deficiencies connected to these high-profile deaths are particularly concerning, considering the Bureau of Prisons’ responsibility for the custody and care of such inmates.

Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters has pledged to apply lessons learned from these incidents to improve the overall correctional landscape. However, the agency has not disclosed the specific changes made, citing security practices as the reason for non-disclosure. The agency’s promise of a security review following last year’s gun breach remains unfulfilled.

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons, Benjamin O’Cone, has emphasized the agency’s commitment to protecting individuals in its custody, as well as maintaining the safety of correctional employees and the community. O’Cone stated that safety protocols are regularly reviewed, and corrective actions are implemented when necessary. However, with the recent attacks on Chauvin and Nassar, questions remain about the agency’s ability to fulfill its duty to protect inmates.

Chauvin, who initially began his incarceration in solitary confinement at a maximum-security Minnesota state prison for his own protection, was later transferred to FCI Tucson. This move was made to enable him to simultaneously serve his federal and state sentences. Chauvin’s sentencing judge believed he would fare better with fewer restrictions in federal prison. However, instead of being placed in solitary or protective custody, Chauvin was housed in a unit known as the “dropout yard,” which accommodates former police officers, ex-gang members, sexual abusers, and other high-risk prisoners. While considered relatively safer, these units still experience violence, as seen in Nassar’s stabbing in a “dropout yard” unit at the U.S. Penitentiary in Coleman, Florida.

The attacker of Nassar, identified as Shane McMillan, stabbed him repeatedly after allegedly making a lewd comment while watching women’s tennis on TV. Four other inmates intervened and pulled McMillan away. McMillan, who has a history of violence including assaulting a federal prison officer and attempting to kill another inmate, has yet to be charged for attacking Nassar.

In the case of Chauvin, his attacker, John Turscak, a former Mexican Mafia gang leader and FBI informant, confessed to contemplating the stabbing before carrying out the attack. Turscak stabbed Chauvin 22 times with an improvised knife. Although FCI Tucson has faced staffing challenges in the past, the Bureau of Prisons stated that nearly all officer positions are currently filled. Turscak claimed he targeted Chauvin due to his high profile and deliberately chose Black Friday as a symbolic connection to Black Lives Matter.

Despite the arrest of Turscak, Chauvin’s lawyer and his family continue to have concerns and unanswered questions about the incident. They question how Chauvin was allowed into the law library without a guard in close proximity to prevent a potential attack.

In conclusion, the recent attacks on Derek Chauvin and Larry Nassar have raised serious doubts about the ability of the federal Bureau of Prisons to ensure the safety of high-profile inmates. The incidents shed light on the deep-rooted problems within the agency, including severe staffing shortages, instances of staff misconduct, inadequate surveillance, and crumbling infrastructure. These issues, along with previous high-profile deaths and escapes, have led to increased scrutiny from Congress and government watchdogs. There is a growing demand for comprehensive independent oversight of the Bureau of Prisons to address these systemic issues and protect the well-being of all federal prisoners..