There are plenty of things to be upset about if a family member is in jail—knowing that the person caused suffering in some way, the horrible color schemes of prison jump suits, etc. Marie Domond isn't upset about any of that, or the fact that her brother Gerard Domond is serving 25 years to life for murdering someone. She's mad that her brother is sometimes referred to as an "inmate." So she's suing. more ›

A city correction officer has been suspended for 15 days and placed on modified duty with no inmate contact after she was busted bringing her cell phone to work to chat with her boyfriend—a Bloods member doing time at Rikers. Rosalyn Wilkes, 43, was charged with promoting prison contraband after taking her personal cell phone to jail, which is prohibited. She allegedly used the phone to talk to her boyfriend while she was working at the Tombs in Lower Manhattan, and even let other inmates use it to talk to him. more ›

Apparently, some prison guards have never watched Seinfeld. California inmate Malcolm Alarmo King reportedly convinced the Orange County jail that, as a celebrator of Festivus, he was entitled to the better quality kosher meals that some of the more religious inmates were enjoying. He managed to get salami-free sandwiches for two months before the order got thrown out, presumably once somebody headed to Google and figured out that Festivus is secular. The point is that nobody in California understands the meaning of Festivus, and we would kick their asses at the feats of strength. more ›

Finally, it takes a prisoner to claim what everyone suspected—that Bernard Madoff has billions stashed away somewhere unbeknownst to the feds (so far). The Post reports, "Ponzi king Bernard Madoff is telling fellow jailbirds that he secretly funneled $9 billion in swiped funds to three people before he was nabbed, an inmate told [the paper]. Madoff says that his partner in crime Frank DiPascali knows who the recipients are -- and that he suspects DiPascali is using that information to cut a better deal with the feds, according to the inmate at the medium-security prison in Butner, NC." more ›

A Corrections Department spokesman says that during Saturday's Rikers Island uprising prison guards applied "defense holds and used defense spray" to get brawling inmates back in line. Thirteen corrections officers and three inmates were inured in the conflict that began around 11 p.m., jailhouse bedtime. "A few inmates were encouraging others not to lock in," the spokesman Stephen Morello told the Post. Apparently they were also angered that earlier in the day, their cells had been searched. more ›

Last night, a fight broke out at Rikers Island. Apparently some inmates refused to go into their cells, leading to a dispute that left 12 guards as well as as 3 inmates injured. WABC 7 reports, "The inmates are described as high security and are awaiting trial. One of the officers required 20 stitches to close the wounds in his head and face. Most of the other injuries were minor. Prison officials say the disturbance may have been sparked by a search earlier in the day that angered inmates." more ›

A state judge ruled that New York's juvenile corrections system regularly breaks the law by shackling young detainees any time they leave a detention center—even if the children don't pose a physical threat. According to the Times, the ruling should bring an end to a policy that mandated the use of shackles whenever detainees leave state facilities, despite other laws on the books permitting shackles only as a last resort for "youth who are out of control and dangerous, and then only for half an hour." A 15-year-old plaintiff said he was kept in feet and handcuffs connected to a belly chain for roughly 15 hours on a single day. Lawyer Nancy Rosenbloom said the case revealed "a culture of abusive practices that is not rehabilitative." She added: "We had evidence of kids not being able to drink their milk on the way to court because of the chains." more ›

The list of Rikers Island guards accused of abusing inmates continues to grow longer. Correction Officer Timothy Munroe, 24, of Brooklyn was indicted on charges of assault, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing, among others, the NY Times reports. more ›

The Department of Corrections says a 60-year-old Rikers Island inmate, who had gotten into a fight with guards earlier, died in his cell. According to Newsday, Clarence Mobley "had assaulted a correction officer with a meal tray and had to be subdued and removed to a separate holding pen by other officers" on Saturday night. Apparently the guards had been preparing to transport him to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation when Mobley lashed out. A DOC spokesman said that later on Mobley was found unresponsive in his cell. An autopsy found Mobley, arrested on April 30 for breaking into a Queens beauty salon, died of "liver laceration due to blunt trauma of the torso." The DOC is investigating. more ›