Lee County prison killings: A look at the nation’s deadliest prison riot in a quarter-century
The Greenville News and Independent Mail Reports
The cellphone images and recordings by inmates themselves show the visceral brutality of it all — the day when South Carolina’s most-dangerous prison, for seven hours and without intervention, became a slaughterhouse.
In one image, the lifeless, blood-stained bodies of three Lee Correctional inmates are stacked like roadkill in a cluster against a prison fence outside.
Seven inmates were killed on April 15, slashed and beaten in the nation’s deadliest prison riot in a quarter-century. Another 22 inmates were injured. No employees were hurt.
The Greenville News and Independent Mail's reporting team took a deep dive into the various aspects of this deadly incident. Here are their stories.
Early reports: violence breaks out
- What we know about the 'mass casualty incident' at Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina
- Six injured inmates from Lee Correctional Institution remain hospitalized
- Fights, deaths and what followed: A timeline of events in and outside Lee Correctional
The inmates
- Who are the 7 dead? Details about each inmate killed in fight at Lee County prison in South Carolina
- How they died: Causes of death released for slain Lee Correctional inmates
- Sister of slain inmate: 'He was a lovable person' who hoped to turn his life around
- Cousin of inmate slain at Lee Correctional: 'It's really bad right now' for the family
- Inmate with ties to Anderson critically injured in Lee Correctional prison violence
- Anderson mother of Lee Correctional prison inmate: 'He seen bodies everywhere'
Underlying causes
- Death, violence in SC prisons: How Lee Correctional Institution puts gangs before safety
- Poor prison staffing and funding allows gangs to take control, reform advocates say
- In wake of inmate deaths at Lee Correctional, records show South Carolina prisons are understaffed
Cellphones in the cells
- Cell phones and contraband sparked SC prison incident that killed 7, officials say
- South Carolina prison where 7 inmates died had equipment to block illegal cellphone use
- Wireless industry to blame for contraband cellphones, according to former SC prisons chief
History of violence
- 12 inmates were killed by other inmates in South Carolina prisons in 2017
- South Carolina prison where 7 were killed houses some of state's most violent offenders
- Inmate starts fire at South Carolina's Lee Correctional Institution where 7 inmates were killed in riot
Aftermath of prison riot
- Gov. Henry McMaster signs emergency order on SC prison security; no timeline on fixes
- SC prison employees charged with taking bribes, smuggling contraband to inmates
- South Carolina prison scandal: Who are the officials charged with accepting bribes?