Violent truths held prisoner by DOC?

Hartford (WTNH) - The state union, that represents 5,000 state prison correction officers, is accusing the department of trying to get union leaders to clam-up about incidents of violence at prison facilities.

Union leaders have given many interviews to News Channel 8, and other media outlets, about overcrowding and violent incidents at state prisons.

Department of Correction union leaders came together Wednesday to announce they are filing a complaint against the department for trying to get a union leader to stop talking to the news media.

The department cited a news story about a fight between inmates last year at Northern Prison (a fight that was broken up by a correction officer) as proof of violation of department policy.

Jon Pepe, who is a longtime correction department union leader, is accused of violating department policy about safety and security. He has done hundreds of media interviews over the years.

"I believe it's a personal attack against the union because of all the
violence and the assaults that we have been reporting to the legislature and to the news media happening inside the prisons," Pepe said. "And, with all the concession talks around I feel it should be out that the public should know why what kind of treatment the union leadership is getting from the Department of Correction. Yet they want our members to give back. And that's going to be a hard sell."

In a Department of Correction report on the incident it said, "The D.O.C. legal affairs unit in conjunction with the CT Attorney General's office has determined that CO Jon Pepe is not exempt from the September 25, 2008 commissioner's memorandum either as a correctional officer or as the AFSCME local 391 president."

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said not so.

"The Department of Correction is not acting on our advice," said Attorney General Blumenthal. "Very clearly, our advice was not to do what they are proceeding to do under the circumstances."
 
Informed of Blumenthal's remarks, Department of Correction spokesman Brian Garnett said, "A formal legal opinion regarding this matter was not requested nor received from the Office of the Attorney General."

He goes on to say, "based on the mission of the agency and the need for safety and security, confidentiality must be observed."

No reaction on why the Department document said the Attorney General's office agrees with their decision when he clearly does not.