By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press Writer
BALTIMORE- A new warden was appointed Wednesday at a state-run jail that has been under federal investigation since an inmate died after being beaten by guards.
Baltimore’s Central Booking and Intake Center also is under court scrutiny over allegations that inmates were routinely held more than 24 hours without hearings.
Mitchell Franks, the new warden, has worked for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for 22 years. He succeeds Susan Murphy, who retired.
Officials are reviewing the May beating death of a 51-year-old inmate who got into an altercation with correctional officers. His death was ruled a homicide and eight officers have been fired, although no charges have been filed.
State investigators have turned over preliminary findings to the Baltimore state’s attorney’s office, and the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the death.
The city public defender’s office filed suit in April complaining that inmates were regularly held for more than 24 hours without a court hearing, which is illegal. A judge ordered the center to free anyone who had not received a hearing in the required time, resulting in the release of more than 80 people.
Central Booking is where adults arrested in Baltimore are identified, fingerprinted and photographed before they have a hearing. It was designed to process up to 45,000 arrestees annually but handled more than 100,000 last year.