Halle Coleman
Staff Writer/MC201
Hundreds of citizens rallied in front of the Mississippi State Capital on Jan. 24 to protest conditions at the state penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, a maximum-security prison located in Sunflower County, Miss.
Parchman has been in the spotlight for the last month in regard to the growing number of inmate deaths, unsustainable living conditions, and overcrowding.
Prior to the rally, newly elected Governor Tate Reeves held a press conference on Jan. 23 to discuss the plan created in collaboration with Interim Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner, Tommy Taylor.
According to Reeves, improving the conditions of the prison and bringing more leadership to the forefront are the first two steps of recovery. Maintenance teams from across Mississippi have been called to immediately begin work at Parchman. In addition, all wardens and deputy wardens have been ordered to work 12-hour shifts in order to have leadership present and available to correctional officers at all times.
Corrections officers will also be screened for any signs related to gang affiliation to prevent officers from assisting prisoners in these violent situations. An agent has been sent to Parchman to conduct a thorough investigation into criminal activity within the Department of Corrections.
Another part of Reeves’ plan includes increasing cell phone strictness. During the recent series of killings, gangs were able to communicate across the prison system through the use of smuggled cell phones. This enabled one isolated incident to escalate into a large-scale conflict that resulted in several deaths.
However, cell phones also played a huge part in documenting the conditions inside of Parchman. Images and videos taken by prisoners have been posted to social media sites and shared across the country. Graphic images show moldy shower areas, peeling walls, stained and flooded floors, mattresses on the floor, and more.
These images caught the attention of rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gotti. Both men wrote former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and Commissioner Pelicia Hall about the conditions at Parchman following the reports of violence and death.
Yo Gotti, who is signed to JAY-Z’s Roc Nation label, released a statement which read in part:
“The conditions in the prisons operated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections are absolutely inhumane and unconstitutional. To see this happen so close to my hometown of Memphis is truly devastating. That’s why we’re calling on Mississippi state leaders to take immediate action and rectify this issue. If they don’t right this wrong, we’re prepared to take legal action to provide relief for those that are incarcerated and their families.”
RocNation/TeamRoc organized the reform rally held Jan. 24. Members of Yo Gotti’s team, former inmates, activists and family members of active and deceased inmates shared their concerns about the Mississippi prison system.
“Shut it down, shut it down!” advocates chanted in a video posted by WLBT in reference to Parchman.
Mississippi native and notable hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T. was in attendance at the rally was also who hopes his stature will help promote awareness.
“I had to be here, get information and use my brand in any way I can to promote the fact that we need to close Parchman down and places like this and shine some kind of light on actually getting people rehabilitated, prison reform and how to change these kind of scenarios because Parchman isn’t the only place this is happening,” said Big K.R.I.T according to WLBT.
“We filed an emergency motion [Thursday – Jan. 23] night on behalf of 29 prisoners at Parchman to seek injunctive relief,” said Dania Diaz with Team Roc/Roc Nation.
According to published reports, at least 13 inmates have died within the state prison facilities during the span of a month. The majority of those deaths have occurred at the Mississippi State Penitentiary.
Reeves announced Jan. 27 at his first official State of Address as governor that he has instructed the Mississippi Department of Corrections to shut down Unit 29 at Parchman.
“I’ve seen enough,” Reeves said in the press conference. “We have to turn the page. This is the first step, and I have asked the Department to begin the preparations to make it happen safely, justly, and quickly.”
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