Hancock County prosecutor admits violating bar rules in sexual assault trial
PORTLAND, Maine — A prosecutor from Hancock County admitted Monday morning to a state supreme court justice that she violated rules of the Maine Bar when she prosecuted a former Gouldsboro man on gross sexual assault and misdemeanor assault charges.
Woman says guard forced her to have sex in Knox County Jail
ROCKLAND, Maine — A Washington woman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Knox County claiming that a former jail guard repeatedly coerced her into having sex while she was incarcerated at the county jail in Rockland.
No motive yet in Maine prison homicide
Guy Hunnewell is accused of killing fellow inmate Alan Powell Jr., but state officials aren't saying what might have caused the attack.
New Maine State Prison warden named
WARREN, Maine — Rodney Bouffard, who has served as acting warden at the Maine State Prison for the past several months, was named warden Friday.
The Maine Department of Corrections announced the appointment in a news release Wednesday.
Judge to decide whether Hancock County prosecutor faces unprecedented suspension
ELLSWORTH, Maine — A board that oversees the conduct of licensed attorneys in the state of Maine has filed a complaint about a Hancock County prosecutor with the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Federal judge sides with state in prisoner lawsuits over padlock beatings
BANGOR, Maine — A federal judge has sided with state officials in lawsuits over a trio of assaults in which prison-issued padlocks were used as weapons by inmates against other prisoners.
Gay former prison guard files discrimination lawsuit against state
MACHIAS, Maine — A gay former prison guard has filed a civil rights discrimination suit against the Maine Department of Corrections after she was fired from her position at Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport, where both she and her attorney say “an old boy culture of disrespect for women” is entrenched.
Maine State Prison captain pleads not guilty in inmate assault
ROCKLAND, Maine — A Maine State Prison captain who was fired about two weeks after being charged with assaulting a handcuffed inmate has pleaded not guilty.
Blood tests needed for Maine inmate’s cause of death
As an autopsy is done on the diabetic 35-year-old man, a state official says prisoners get regular health care from a new vendor.
Father of dead Maine inmate points to medical care
Garrett Brewer, 35, who died in his cell Wednesday, had expressed concerns about his diabetes treatment, his dad says.
Maine Voices: Windham prison guard’s reinstatement poorly thought-out decision
David Hench’s article about Maine Correctional Center Capt. Shawn Welch’s handling of inmate Paul Schlosser (“Prison captain fired, but later reinstated, after pepper spraying inmate,” March 17) temporarily removed the cloak of secrecy from the Maine Department of Corrections.
Legislators grill Corrections chief on use-of-force incidents
AUGUSTA — A legislative committee questioned Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte on Wednesday about his department’s internal-affairs and use-of-force procedures, in response to an incident at the Maine Correctional Center last year.
Captain’s vengeance backfired in Windham pepper spray incident
I suspect it takes a high degree of self control and character to be spit on and called vile names and not react, at least not overreact.
Certainly, police officers and corrections officers face that behavior routinely from people who have done very bad things.
Our View: Prison leak probe looks for the wrong problem
If Maine corrections officials are embarrassed, they have good reason. An in-house video that showed a supervisor at the Windham prison inappropriately using pepper spray on a restrained inmate leaving him in distress for 20 minutes was shocking when it was revealed in a story in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
Maine officials seeking pepper-spray video leak
The Department of Corrections wants to know how the media obtained video and documents about how a prison captain pepper-sprayed a restrained inmate.
Corrections officer’s actions to be reviewed
A legislative committee wants to ensure that use of restraints and pepper spray are the exception.
Prison captain fired, but later reinstated, after pepper spraying inmate
A prison captain who was removed from his job last year — and then reinstated — discharged pepper spray directly into the face of an inmate who was restrained and left him in distress for 24 minutes, according to confidential documents and a videotape of the incident obtained by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram.
Our View: Troubled prison has right person in charge
Corrections is the part of state government that most people would like to forget. Stories showing that prisons are dangerous places seem fair to some who think that’s how justice is delivered.
Affidavit details alleged assault by Maine State Prison officer against inmate
ROCKLAND, Maine — A captain at the Maine State Prison pulled the legs out from under an inmate whose hands were cuffed behind him, causing the prisoner to fall, according to an investigator’s report used to charge the officer with assault.
Maine State Prison captain arrested, accused of assaulting inmate
ROCKLAND, Maine — A captain at the Maine State Prison was arrested Wednesday afternoon after being accused of assaulting an inmate on Christmas Eve.