Penitentiary of New Mexico Riot; Community Response to Riot

But we've heard it could go as high as 75, maybe 100, is that possible? That's possible from the rumors and the discussions that we had with some of the inmates that were being released, yeah. How did they say they died? Were they murdered? Were they sophisticated? Tortured, there was rumors of tortures and then escalations. There were some pretty terrible killings. One body that was handed over to us last night was a pretty terrible murder. How so? That was handed to us this afternoon. Was the bi mutilated or what? Bodies have been mutilated, yeah. What about the two of you, sir? What's the condition with them? They were both in the state of Riga Mordes, just by the looks of the way that their arms were and stuff like that. Are you sure you like them? And are you going to like them? Nothing, I could say no. You said they would transport 100 prisoners. Why 100? Why do they just transport a hundred? Well, because I think that maybe that's about the only commitment the state in New Mexico could get at this time. You have to do. Well, and I'm not sure if that's a two -figure, but they have

to get cooperative agreements with other penitentiaries. What about the other thousand or so men in there? Well, you can see that we definitely have a problem with it now. I don't even know whether they're going to be housed in the next... We're going to probably try to transfer them into Connie Jail's throughout the state in New Mexico. All of them then? She too much. Well, as many as it takes to let they are adequately secure and... How many might that be then? I have no idea. I can tell you that from the outside, I don't think any part of that penitentiary is usually right now. What would you say broke the stalemate, many? What stalemate? Well, the stalemate for the prisoners as far as them changing their minds and cooperating. Well, through the night we negotiated with numerous inmates. I think that probably would broke the stalemate as time because when we first started to negotiate when I got here, maybe I started before that, I think. But they were all pretty well drugged and it was pretty difficult for them to be rational and to discuss things on a rational basis. So I think that over the evening the drug wore off and leaders with some rational basis

involved in that. And we were able to reach some discussions. Of course they were interested and they were concerned that if they didn't want to get shot once the hostages were released and we assured them of that. But it was kind of difficult because there were so many entities here that just as we had had everything settled, a big helicopter flew right over the penitentiary. And these guys also had a breaking into the penitentiary saying that we had re -nigged in our agreement. So it was another 30 minutes before we convinced them that we hadn't... What happened this morning? I'd say about what happened. So what happened to the helicopter? About an hour ago maybe? No, just a week ago. There's dozens of families of inmates that are here and have been here for hours, some since last night. One man was 80 years old. And they really want sincere and want

to go into the prison. And the governor has made a commitment to that. Is there any way you can help them? Well, I would imagine that the governor will live up to his agreement once it's secure. But like I tell you, I was in there, my shoes are wet. There's about an inch of water throughout that whole facility. And in 45 minutes they had only succeeded in going approximately maybe a hundred feet because all the keys are lost. There's holes torn into the walls where the prisoners went through. And having a difficult time right now, they're trying to reach a certain portion of the penitentiary and having a difficult time getting there. So not at all, not that I know. None that I know of, except maybe there was some reasonable force in some individuals that were resisting a little bit. But nothing that - Well, we don't have control yet because they haven't been throughout the entire penitentiary. When

I was walking through, they still pulled out another six or seven prisoners. So is it premature to say it's all over? Well, I don't think it is. I think that all the leaders have conceded it and - There's no organized resistance, aren't you? No, none at all. None at all. No organized resistance. How much of the prisoners are there? I don't know. I don't know if we have a standard. Well, they've got quite a few guns out there, so I imagine they're pretty secure right now. A lot of them are concerned because there's a lot of smoke down there. And there's probably been a few deaths because of smoke inhalation. We gave the prisoners a blow torches so that they could try to burn out holes through doors. They couldn't do it. After we finally negotiated it, they permitted firemen to go in and turn off the fires and open some doors. So there may be some inhalation deaths in there. It's probably about - They won't really get a true count until tomorrow. I

would say it's very difficult going through there. It's dark. There's no electricity. And it's very difficult circumstances. Of course, everybody's being cautious because you don't know what the situation is in the right now. Is there any war on the right man? Press? No, none that I know of. Are there any prisoners still left themselves? Well, there was a immediate -well, sure. Right? When we negotiated our deal, there were still prisoners that we're trying to get to with the blow torches. And we finally convinced some of the leaders that they should get in to try to save some lives. I have no idea. How deep is the water in place? Well, where I was, it was about a half an inch an inch. 90 deep in some places. No, I didn't see anything like that. Do you have any ideas what the legislature might do about this? I think there would be wholesale firings and or mass appropriations or anything like that. I would hope that the legislature would investigate some of the problems of security here. And just as importantly, some of the grievances that

the inmates had in some instances, they sound legitimate from the discussions that we have, but of course they haven't been, you know, confirmed. So I think that the legislature should look into some of the grievances. As a state senator, do you think anybody should be fired out over this? Do you have anyone in mind that you think was negligent? No. Or is this a matter of neglect of decades of neglect? All of them in. All right. All right. All right. All right. Hey, hey, go back up here. Have you heard of my proven? No. That is not. Thank you. That is not. That is not. That is not. That is not. That is not. That is not. Let me go

to sign you. That is not. Let me go. I will leave that to you. Negotiated with us through the night and this morning, and this afternoon, would be called to air their differences. Of course they were permitted an interview with Ernie Mills, and they express their their views at that time and it'll be no big stick to this to what they express there were talk about situations of overcrowding of additional recreation of additional recreation possibilities better food that kind of thing where any of those in your mind kind of should be a study of additional activity well sure I don't know if they're substantiated those are some of the concerns the prisoners had as they should be looked into and I would hope that this joint engineering committee would do that and now that we're looking at organization of the corrections department I think it's probably a good time secretary designate science was on the scene and when I left just a while ago he was still discussing the matter with one of the prisoners and basically his question was

you know how can we improve the system here so I think this you know secretary science is being very reasonable and at least taking into consideration what the prisoners want you satisfy with his appointment from his actions here today and last night I would say very much so because you know he talks straightforward and we give our words to those individuals and he's living up to him he's right now and all this is going down he's sitting in an office talking to a prisoner for half an hour to see what if anything they can do to improve conditions in the future just a little reason where you're looking yeah I'm going to leave now thank you so much okay you ready kill

it you got control of it now was that you with the mind no I did okay just a second no no this I

don't want to go follow on this is a this is too I'm a power down then see if you have control of it now try stopping it with your camera you you

you you you no of 12 we know of 12

please you but but Joe you still haven't secure the same release of two hostages that mean that the situation is still a bit nippin talker no they have gone into when do we know about the rest of the inmates who are dead or alive as quickly as it can be given man were the some inmates are not doing their games they're not no and I think you should say since you want to know these inmates are coming out out of there in very bad shape from drugs and glue and a section of the one I'm talking about he's in our future control he's he reached the bible

we're the inmates he's going to be a minister I was not in on the negotiation I don't think any at that time there are too much going on down here you should as far as they're that's how we know the agreement I would say when we can get feelings you make some immediately there are the only ones to know what the agreement is that was the only ones up weren't you good read other quickly as I can get it together they're still coming

out why would the inmates are still coming in they're working on we've been trying to keep that a lot of the inmates were not here there anyone else that's hard to imagine but if they're working on that they've been dividing that's this trick one of the top of this was in hiding he is now at the warden's house he walked out like he ran out yeah he came out of beautiful good shape we were very bad that's where the institution was where's the other part of it there are burning records really had no impact on can you just take a matter of time they were hiding by three were hiding and who were they the first one where they take this one of the two were hiding yes no no no so who were the two that you're looking for the two that were hiding yes no burning yes

but are the two people that you're looking for the two people who were hiding yes you know where they were hiding they have an idea they're back there now with cutting charge so he's out he walked out of well so there's only a two in there right now where are they hiding I don't know I didn't hear him say the all the doors are jammed when you get in there and look at it you'll see what we're talking about ortid that Herman I got to see I don't know it's it's still going to take a time it's still on fire that one reason he and I thought we'd better come on

out are the inmates being kept outside yes what's burning the whole building as far as guys are coming right back after they give me the stuff I'll stay in there we need to ask questions I don't know what but because the only thing I know is that we've got all of the hostages and we are securing several of the areas and we are moving to maintain the operation we are back totally in charge and we're very grateful to all of those that work so diligently and particularly Felix Rodriguez the Deputy Secretary and to Bobby Montoya who worked to very diligently and untiring and Ernie

Mills were the three chief negotiators they did a tremendous job and Ernie Mills of course is one of your immediately in we're very proud of all these people we're very proud of all of the guards, all of the prison officials we're also very very proud of the operation of the state police sheriff's office and national guard we think they've done a tremendous job and we did retake the operation without firing a shot we moved in and we are totally in control and we have all of the hostages and we're going now they're going to let you go in very shortly they are within the hour well I imagine so just as soon as I have it tied down in the Deputy Crexinal Secretary Mr. Felix Rodriguez and the new Crexinal Secretary Mr. Adolf Sines and the warden Jerry Griffin have made the decision that they would let you come down and I'm sure they'll let you get the things you need they will have to do it in a very

hardly manner and just conduct yourself in that way and we'll see that everyone has opportunity to see and do the things they do need to do but we are delighted that we have regained total control of the operation we're trying to put out the fires and we are working back to feed the prisoners and we are just wondering why the number that we did lose of the prisoners some smoke and some of the things and I think the county is up to about 20 and it may go a little bit hard but it's not any of the numbers that we had heard but it's something long that number. Gov. Could you tell us about the offer that Governor Babbett made to you? Yes, Governor Babbett called me and offered to let us use a brand new weighing of a minimum security operation to house a number of those that we might need to house in that manner. He told me that Bruce just put on the train sent him over and we'll take care of him from there and you can get things to going. And that was before we had total control. So you appreciate friends like that. Of course, we have to study

the image of the state and the state presence. Well, we're always concerned, but we were more concerned about the gaining the entire operation and having it back under control. And I guess there's no difference to what happens in a lot of other states. I think we conducted ourselves by professionals anyone could after the fact. So we're pleased with the way it went.