South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley filed 18 felony charges against 11 inmates involved in a March prison uprising.
During a coordinated disturbance by penitentiary inmates, two prison guards were assaulted, multiple fires in cells, and an attempt to break prison gates.
Marty Jackley is the Attorney General for South Dakota. He said two prison guards were injured.
“At this time, I’ve moved forward in the signing and request for arrest warrants involving eleven individuals at the penitentiary involving 18 felony counts,” said Jackley.
Jackley said his office worked closely with the Department of Correctionsfor over a month to collect evidence of the attack.
“I would never say these are the only charges stemming from it, but these are the charges at this point in the investigation through inmate interviews, correction interviews, videos, and other evidence that we felt that there was probable cause to move forward,” said Jackley.
Jackley said the incident provides an avenue for South Dakota to express how the state will deal with inmate discipline in the future.
Jackley said the 11 inmates are presumed innocent until they receive a fair trial. He said that further interviews and evidence could lead to more charges or the involvement of more inmates on the charges.
