Conditions at Alto prison attacked

ATLANTA - The Southern Center for Human Rights says is calling on the state to move young inmates out of Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto because they are in constant danger of being raped or killed.

In a letter to the state Department of Corrections, the Atlanta-based prison watchdog group cites the recent murder of 18-year-old Wayne Boatwright, Jr. at the prison.

A relative of Boatwright's has told WDUN News/accessnorthga.com they had asked that the teenager be kept out of the area where he was killed.

A corrections spokeswoman says the agency takes such matters seriously and is cooperating with the probe of Boatwright's death, but, so far, there has been no direct comment on request from the center.

Boatwright was killed last month and authorities have identified a suspect in his death - a prisoner already serving time for murder.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/3/162995