The Associated Press
2/26/03 1:01 PM


MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) -- More than two dozen inmates from the East Mississippi Correctional Facility were moved to the state penitentiary Wednesday after a disturbance at the Meridian-area prison.

Prison officials said the 29 inmates were identified as having played a part in the Tuesday night unrest. They were moved to the state prison at Parchman, Warden Larry Greer said Wednesday.

Officials said the disturbance began about 6:30 p.m. and lasted about two hours, with the inmates refusing to return to their cells. Emergency personnel used "chemical agents" to regain control, the officials said.

Greer said the disturbance ended without serious injury to the inmates or the staff. In a statement, the correctional facility said events leading up to the unrest were under review.

The 750-bed prison is located off U.S. 80 at Lost Gap west of Meridian. It is operated by the Florida-based Wackenhut Corp.

Greer became the prison warden in October, replacing Aaron Jagers, who left to become warden of Wackenhut's prison in Marshall County.