Local officials get answers about prison protest in meeting with CCA

YOUNGSTOWN

The 14-hour sit-in protest at Northeast Ohio Correctional Center was related to inmate issues with food and medical concerns.

The city will receive a full report about the incident sometime in the middle of next week, said Mayor John McNally.

McNally, along with several other city officials and state Rep. Robert Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, met Friday with officials of Corrections Corporation of America, which owns NEOCC.

“The meeting went very well, and the officials from CCA completely understand our concerns,” McNally said.

The protest started with a group of 40-50 Dominican prisoners and grew from there, Hagan said.

Officials told the local officials the protest eventually involved as many as 240 inmates, McNally said.

“Next week, the warden is going to meet with 10 inmate representatives to discuss their concerns,” the mayor said.

The prison still is conducting an internal investigation that it expects to complete next week, he added.

Hagan said he was satisfied with CCA’s answers at the meeting.

“We finally got some answers, but it took a guy coming all the way up from Nashville to give them,” he said.

For the complete story, read Saturday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.