An inmate was killed Thursday after being beaten inside the Thomson federal prison north of the Quad Cities. That's according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday.
The death on Thursday at the prison known as USP Thomson is the latest serious security issue for the federal Bureau of Prisons. The AP reports the bureau has been plagued by chronic violence, serious misconduct, and persistent staffing shortages.
It once again raises questions about whether officials at the agency can adequately protect the safety of the more than 170,000 federal inmates across the U.S.
A different, longer version of the story from The Associated Press website, APNews.com, reports the inmates name and age.It also provides more details about the circumstances of the death.
"In a statement, the agency said the 31-year-old inmate, Matthew Phillips, was found unresponsive at the prison on Monday. The facility houses more than 1,000 male inmates. Phillips, who was serving a sentence of more than 7 years for distributing heroin and money laundering, suffered life-threatening injuries and was brought to a local hospital, where he died Thursday, the statement said.
"The Bureau of Prisons did not disclose details of the circumstances leading to Phillips’ death, but two people familiar with the matter told the AP that Phillips was severely beaten. The people were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
"The Bureau of Prisons said it notified the FBI and that no staff members or other inmates were injured."
