State to release nearly 1,000 nonviolent prison inmates early to limit COVID-19 spread

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Washington state plans to release nearly 1,000 prison inmates early as part of an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 among the prison population, the governor's office said Monday.

The written announcement by Gov. Jay Inslee came just a few days after hundreds of inmates at Monroe Correctional Complex staged a disturbance in protest after several inmates tested positive for the coronavirus.

The governor was scheduled to hold a news conference at 2:30 p.m. Monday in which he was expected to discuss more details about the plan.

According to the governor's office, up to 950 prisoners who are part of vulnerable populations, including nonviolent offenders due to be released, will be released through commutation. Other inmates will be released into a modified graduated reentry program, the statement said.

“This will help allow for increased physical distancing throughout the Department of Corrections' system, reducing the population by up to 950 people to continue to reduce the risks to incarcerated individuals while balancing public safety concerns,“ Inslee's statement said.

On Friday, the Washington Supreme Court ordered the governor and the state's Department of Corrections to “immediately exercise their authority to take all necessary steps to protect the health and safety" of inmates in response to the COVID-19 outbreak."

The court issued its ruling after lawyers for the inmates filed an emergency motion asking the state Supreme Court to intervene and order all inmates tested for COVID-19.

That order came two days after Monroe inmates created a massive disturbance by threatening to set fires, apparently in response to six prisoners testing positive for COVID-19 within the Miminum Security Unit.

>threaten violence and crimes, get released