On Friday, Gov. Kay Ivey applauded the recent court order dismissing all federal oversight of Tutwiler Prison by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) after it found evidence of abuse by ADOC guards in 2014.
In 2015, after informing the state of its findings, the DOJ filed suit against ADOC, accusing the department of negligence and complicity, including "several systemic failures that led to the pattern of abuse, including ineffective reporting and investigations and no grievance policy." It also claimed Tutwiler failed to hold culpable staff accountable for abuses.
Since 2015, the State has operated the prison under DOJ oversight while undergoing reforms in staff training, policies, oversight and how allegations of abuse are reported and investigated.
Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Thursday that the DOJ's outstanding requirements have been terminated, and the case against the state was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be reopened or refiled.
SEE: ‘Real, measurable progress’ — Feds end oversight of Tutwiler prison after over decade-long agreement
Ivey applauded the dissolution of the oversight, crediting it to the work done by her administration.
“When I took office in 2017, our challenged prisons needed our immediate attention, and we were facing various DOJ lawsuits and investigations,” Ivey said. “Despite the can being kicked down the road for too long, I made it a priority to improve our correctional system, and we have made significant progress since then.”
She continued, “In addition to moving forward with the construction of two new men’s prisons, hitting historic recruitment levels for correctional officers, enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for bad behavior by both inmates and staff, enhancing the Department and making various sensible sentencing reforms, today, I am proud that the DOJ case against Julia Tutwiler Prison has concluded. This is the result of our work over these two-plus terms, and our efforts will continue.”
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