Riot in Cell Block 11

A wave of riots has swept U.S. prisons.

Within 20 months, riots have occurred in 35 states.

It began in Trenton, New Jersey...

moved quickly to Jackson, Michigan.

Here at Michigan Penitentiary for five days...

the world's largest walled prison is torn to pieces by maddened convicts...

who destroy everything they can put their hands on.

Damage is estimated at $2 1/2 million.

Then, in Pennsylvania, inmates seize...

five guards as hostages in Western State Penitentiary.

Damage runs high, as we can see...

in this view inside one of the wrecked cell blocks.

At almost the same time...

231 convicts carry out a similar rebellion...

in Rahway, New Jersey, at the state prison farm.

Here, bed sheets, scrawled with slogans...

are hung from broken windows.

The convicts hold out for 4 1/2 days...

before submitting to authority.

In Menard Prison at Chester, Illinois...

state police are called.

Ten guards are held as hostages...

three of them by prisoners in the psychiatric division.

Here, the inmates insist on speaking...

only to the governor about their grievances.

These riots, costing millions...

and millions of taxpayer dollars...

have aroused great public interest.

Mr. McGee, what, in your opinion...

is the reason these riots occur?

I would like to paraphrase the report of the American Prison Association...

on riots and their causes.

The recent widespread occurrence of prison riots...

is almost always the direct result...

of the shortsighted neglect of our penal institutions...

amounting to almost criminal negligence.

Who is responsible for this negligence?

Public leaders, such as governors, legislators and others...

who must share the responsibility for prisons...

as well as for other branches of government.

And that neglect includes the public?

Yes, indeed. In the final analysis, especially the public.

One final question:

Do you look to further riots in the future?

I abhor riot and disorder...

but until something is done to correct the situation...

we will not see the end of prison troubles.

Thank you, Mr. McGee.

All over America, prison officials wonder...

"Where will the next riot occur?"

- Mac, you ever been in the punishment block? - No.

Keep your nose clean, or we'll leave you in there.

Well, how's it doing after a couple of weeks?

I like it. Still can't help but feeling sorry for these guys, though.

You'll get over it.

Okay with the crosses.

What's so different about these guys?

X marks the wild animal.

Must be Thursday.

Hey, you gonna feed or ain't you?

You know what you can do with that garbage?

Take it.

This is Honest Hal, folks, bringing you...

the greatest value in used cars.

We're actually giving these cars away.

Ha! If I'd have knew that, I wouldn't be here.

Now, I want you to rush right down here to 2730 Main Street -

Get that? 2730 Main Street - right away.

- I'm a-comin', boss! - Now, don't wait.

The right car for the right price for you.

Thanks.

- Put it in writing to the warden. - But -

- Colonel? - Yeah, Frank?

You're up for parole consideration, aren't you?

- That's right. - Do me a favor.

When you get out, find out if my little girl's still sick.

Well, I'm not out yet.

I gotta find out. I ain't heard in almost two months.

- Your wife will write you. - Naw, she won't write.

That's the reason I'm in here.

I thought I told you to take that bush off.

Yes, sir.

Uh, 63.

Gotcha.

- Barrett speaking. - Block 11, 238.

Hold it a minute.

- Go ahead. - Block 11, 238.

Eleven, 238.

Okay, you're in.

- Barrett. Go ahead. - Block 4, 637.

Four block, 637. Okay, you're in.

- Go ahead, 5. - Block 5, 433.

Five, 433. Okay, you're in.

"O Lord, God of my salvation...

I have cried day and night before thee.

Let my prayer come before thee.

Incline thine ear unto my cry...

for my soul is full of troubles...

and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

I am counted with them that go down into the pit.

I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead...

like the slain that lie in the grave...

whom thou rememberest no more...

and they are cut off from thy hand.

Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit...

in darkness, in the deeps."

- Dummy up, will ya? - Knock it off!

- Somebody slug that creep! - Mother?

Mother?

Monroe!

Monroe, 48!

Yeah?

What do you want, Schuyler?

They're moving me to a new block tomorrow, and I got a present for Gator.

Would you give it to him now?

Yeah, sure.

- How'd you make it? - I got Monroe.

Good. Now for the others. There's only four screws tonight.

- We got to grab 'em all. - Snader's mine.

No cuttin', Carnie. We're gonna keep 'em alive. That's my plan.

Snader.

Open your trap, and we'll cut you a new one.

- You're not supposed to have this, Snader.

All right, drag him out.

Acton!

Sergeant!

Hey! Monroe! Snader!

Hey! Monroe!

Snader!

Go ahead. You'll have your brains out!

Schuyler, keep that screw away from the phone!

Come on, hurry up. Come on! Let me free!

- Hurry up! - Let's go, Vito!

- I want out! - Let me at the screws!

- Open up the cells. - Hey, let me out, Dunn!

Let me out of here!

I can't believe it's happening!

- Let 'em out! - All right! Let's go!

Let's kill all screws!

- Where are the screws? - Let's go!

Barrett speaking.

This is Dunn. We've got 11 block and four of your guards.

- You've got what? - Get the warden down here or we're gonna kill every one of 'em.

Riot in cell block 11.

- What's up? - What's the sirens for?

I don't know, but I'll bet it's 11.

Sure, it's the guys in solitary.

It's a break!

Those guys have got guts enough to try anything.

- Well, here we go again. - Yeah, and all for 50 bucks a week.

Captain Barrett?

I've got your open line to the governor's office.

Yes, sir. I'll monitor all calls from 11.

Here's the armory, sir.

Armory, how many men have checked in?

Second watch is coming in now.

Good. Speed 'em along. Here's the way I want 'em dispersed -

two in 1 block, five in 3 block...

two unarmed in 4 block.

Those to be armed get rifles and tear gas.

And tell 'em not to get itchy fingers.

All right, boys, come on. Hurry up.

Watch those itchy fingers. Captain's orders.

Hello. Get me through to Barrett.

Well, cut in on him!

Hello? Hello, Barrett? This is Ambrose. What's up?

A riot in 11 block. The warden's on his way down.

- I'm at the gate. I'll wait for the warden. - Right. I'll meet you in the yard.

Take it easy, fellas!

All right, take it easy!

That's enough! That's enough!

Dummy up! Shut up!

Knock it off!

All right, cut it out!

Quiet down!

All right, pipe down!

If we're gonna win this, we've gotta have discipline!

Now, Carnie here and me are runnin' the show.

We all know what's wrong here.

We're gonna ask for changes, just like they did in the other prisons.

If they don't give it to us, we'll make 'em a present of one dead guard!

Or maybe four!

It may take all of 'em, but they'll listen!

Me and some of my friends are only in here...

because there ain't no room on any other block.

We don't want no trouble.

Lay off!

You're either in or out, okay?

- You all covered? - Yes, sir.

- All posts set? - First thing I did.

- Doubled up in your building? - Yes, sir.

Who did they grab in 11?

Snader, Acton, Monroe -

Monroe? Who assigned him to that block?

- It was my suggestion. - That was a mistake.

I figured him pretty green.

That block takes six guards. It's tough enough to dig up four.

You know how short we are.

All right, Dunn, I'm here.

I want your word, Warden, that I'll have safe-conduct.