NC officials: 7 inmates in solitary for more than decade

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – State prison officials say seven inmates have been held for more than a decade in solitary confinement, a practice that human rights advocates say amounts to torture.

The Charlotte Observer reports a prison spokesman rejected the newspaper’s request for those inmates’ names, citing a court ruling.

The Observer identified two prisoners through other means. One is Jason Swain, who suffers from bipolar depression and has been in solitary confinement for more than 13 years.

Another, Shawn Minnich, recently wrote to an Observer reporter to say that he’s been in solitary for 13 straight years. State prison officials said Minnich is an extreme escape risk” with a history of assaulting staff members.

State prison officials say the figure of seven prisoners in solitary confinement for more than a decade is accurate as of early March.

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com

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