THE ATTICA’S PRISON RIOT

The revolt began on September 8th, began in the refectory and quickly the prisoners managed to beat the guards, thus taking control of the central blockade. Many of the guards taken hostage were subjected to acts of violence, and one of them died. It was not possible to put an end to the revolt because of the refusal of the request for amnesty for the crimes committed by the prisoners. On 13 September, on a specific order from the governor of New York, the army and police surrounded and attacked the prison, 500 officers entered the building and shot the prisoners, who had no firearms. 39 people died, including 10 prison guards and 29 prisoners, and more than 200 prisoners were injured, 80 of them seriously. In the days that followed the uprising continued, several policemen were captured, who were subjected to torture and beatings.

THE ESCAPE

On September 18, the majority of prisoners attempted to escape, were all captured and returned to prison. The revolt ended but the prisoners were still very turbulent. To put an end to the riots, the governor of New York issued the death penalty as a death penalty to those prisoners who were to revolt again. The governor’s aim was to intimidate the prisoners so that they would calm down, but instead all the prisoners continued the rebellion. This caused a mass murder committed by the police against the prisoners. Not even one prisoner survived.

THE PRESS

The press soon spread the news, public opinion was on the prisoners’ side, this led to several protests in New York State. Democratic newspapers made several accusations against President Richard Nixon. The main accusation was that he allowed the massacre to happen in order to avoid supporting the prisoners, since it was very expensive to maintain a prisoner. Republican newspapers admired the way the president and the governor acted, newspapers called it "an act of prevention for the good of the citizens.

CONSEQUENCES

Following the news, Huntsville Prison and San Quentin Prison were also the subject of various riots started by inmates. While in all other U.S. prisons the situation began to be unmanageable. Nixon’s solution to the new riots was to extend the death penalty to all prisons throughout the United States. The president’s goal was to intimidate the inmates and get them to surrender. But on the contrary the riots increased and consequently in less than a year mass exterminations were carried out in all prisons in the United States.

CURRENT SITUATION

Nowadays they have become historical museums, and citizens who commit crimes are directly executed in court by the electric chair. In practice, no distinction is made between the different crimes, all convicted persons suffer the same death penalty. Soon there will be a vote, every citizen will have the opportunity to vote on a type of death penalty for each crime. Do you already know what to choose?