State Penitentiary Housing Unit Put On Modified Operations

LINCOLN - A housing unit at the Nebraska State Penitentiary has been placed on modified operations due to separate incidents involving multiple inmates.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services says on Saturday afternoon, an inmate was assaulted by several inmates in his cell. The victim suffered serious injuries, including a fractured jaw, and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Additionally, 11 inmates in the same housing unit were assessed and treated by medical staff for being under the influence of K2, or synthetic marijuana. The assault on the inmate is currently under investigation, and findings will be presented to the county attorney for determination of criminal prosecution.

The NDCS says its disciplinary process will be utilized with sanctions, such as loss of good time, applied according to the rules and regulations. Aside from the affected housing unit, the NDCS says the rest of the State Penitentiary remains on normal operations.

The NDCS says modified operations is defined as actions taken to more closely control movement of inmates within a facility due to safety and security needs. Those actions can include confinement in cells of a portion of the inmate populations, cancellation of program/work activities, and direct escort of certain inmates as determined by the warden/designee.