RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A federal judge has agreed with an outside expert who recommends that North Carolina Central Prison staffers use hand-held cameras to record how some prisoners are treated once subdued.
U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle signed a ruling Thursday related to a lawsuit alleging abuse by correctional officers within the prison’s unit for disciplined inmates. The litigation is pending, but the expert was called in to recommend how safety could be improved inside the unit in the meantime.
The state and attorneys for the prisoners agreed with four recommendations, but Department of Public Safety representatives said the camera requirement was burdensome and could cost millions of dollars.
Boyle overruled several objections and says the price tag was unsubstantiated by evidence.
There was no immediate response from the department Thursday afternoon.
