Why is a non-violent prisoner kept in permanent, extreme isolation for 144 years?
In short: Steven Jay Russell is a non-violent conman currently serving a 144-year sentence in total isolation. This video explores his history of multiple prison escapes and the official justification for his extreme confinement, which stands in stark contrast to his physical condition.
Steven Jay Russell, now in his 60s and physically frail, is confined to a 6x9 foot cell for 22 to 23 hours daily. He is prohibited from physical contact with visitors and undergoes strip searches whenever he leaves his cell. While such measures are typically reserved for violent offenders or death row inmates, Russell has never committed a violent crime.
The official reasoning for this extreme security is the prevention of further escapes. Russell, however, contends that his treatment is retaliation for the embarrassment he caused authorities in the 1990s. During that decade, he successfully walked out of prison four times, driven by a desire to be with his partner who was dying of AIDS.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: King Con(man) and His Amazing Escapes from Prison
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