Signs of the Times - Wallens Ridge State Prison
May 2001
Political Economy: Wallens Ridge State Prison
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"Amnesty International is calling on Connecticut to remove all of its inmates from Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, Va.

The human rights organization says it acted because of reports that the inmates are routinely hit with stun guns, abused verbally by guards and placed in unnecessary restraints.

Nearly 500 Connecticut prisoners were sent to Wallens Ridge in 1999 to ease crowding in Connecticut prisons. Some have since returned to Connecticut. Others were moved to Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va.

Two Connecticut inmates died at Wallens Ridge. One reportedly hanged himself; the other apparently died of insulin shock" (Metro In Brief, The Washington Post, May 4, 2001).

The press release for the opening of Wallens Ridge prison in in 1999 reads as follows:

"BIG STONE GAP- Governor Jim Gilmore today announced the opening of Wallens Ridge State Prison in Southwest Virginia. Along with Red Onion State Prison in Southwest Virginia, Wallens Ridge is the second state-of-the-art, super-maximum security prison in the Commonwealth. The Wise County facility will employ nearly 400 people and house more than 1,200 inmates at full capacity.

"This innovative prison facility will mean more than 400 new jobs and a $13.5 million annual payroll that will benefit the economy of Southwest Virginia," Governor Gilmore said. "Not only will this state prison help the local economy, it will keep the people of Virginia safe from violent criminals."

In a unique public/private partnership, Wallens Ridge Development, Corporation, a non-profit organization set up by Big Stone Gap Redevelopment and Housing Authority, issued bonds for the prison and is its owner. The Virginia Department of Corrections will lease the facility. Lease payments will pay off bond debt, and the state will assume ownership in 20 years.

Gilbane Building Company, the general contractor, conducted job fairs at the beginning of the project for area contractors to ensure that local firms were aware of opportunities. More than $4 million in contracts were awarded by Gilbane to local firms, with a total of $12-14 million in vendor services contributing to the local economy.

"The Department of Corrections has, in Wallens Ridge State Prison, a safe and secure facility to incarcerate those prison inmates requiring the highest level of security," Director of the Department of Corrections Ron Angelone said. "We are all so appreciative of the hard work and commitment extended by the people of this community to make this facility a reality. Due to their efforts and the efforts of so many others, the Commonwealth now has available a facility designed, engineered and constructed to control those violent offenders who have chosen to prey on innocent victims in their communities or in other prison environments."

The $75 million "supermax" facility, identical to Red Onion, will have an anticipated payroll of approximately $13.5 million per year" (News Release, Mark A. Miner, April 9, 1999).

"AP-Richmond - Virginia prison officials suspended the use of the Ultron II stun gun after an autopsy raised questions about the role of the device in an inmate's death.

Lawrence Frazier, a Connecticut inmate being held in the infirmary at Wallens Ridge state prison, died July 4 after he was shocked with the stun gun during a struggle with guards.

An autopsy completed this week concludes that Frazier, who suffered from diabetes and hypertension, died of 'cardiac arrhythmia due to stress while being restrained following stunning with Ultron II device. The manner of death is natural,' said Rober Holloway, regional administrator of the state Medical Examiner's Office in Richomond. He declined to elaborate.

Holloway said the resluts of the autopsy were just released because it takes months to complete the lab work and receive the results of toxicology and other tests.

'Prior to the receipt of the medical examiner's report, all indications were that Frazier died of natural causes, brought about by his underlying chronic medical condition,' Corrections Director Ron Angelone said in a written statement.

He added that he issued the moratorium 'due to comments contained in the medical examiner's report.' The moratorium will remain in effect 'until issues regarding the device are clarified,' Angelone said" (The Daily Progress, May 16, 2001).

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