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Prison marks 30th anniversary of riot

Employees of the Pontiac Correctional Center will lay flowers and observe a moment of silence today, to remember those killed in the 1978 prison riot. It was 30 years ago today that three prison guards were killed and three others seriously injured in the daylong uprising at the prison, which left a million dollars in damage to the facility. Frank Panno (pay-no) has served on the Pontiac City Council for 48 years and recalls the efforts of the various law enforcement agencies. Former Pontiac Mayor Dale Campbell also served on the city council at the time and felt the way many people felt on that summer day. After the 1978 riot, seventeen inmates were charged with murder. Ten were later acquitted and charges against the rest were dropped. In the years since, a 50-year-old kitchen supervisor was stabbed to death and there have been other incidents. The prison has been back in the spotlight since May, when the governor threatened to close it. The state says a closure hearing is still pending.

Posted on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 (Archive on Tuesday, July 29, 2008)
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