No drugs, weapons reported in search at Arizona prison

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

An eight-day lockdown and search for contraband has ended at an Arizona prison where two Hawai'i inmates died last month, Hawai'i public safety director Ted Sakai said yesterday.

The deaths of Iulani Amani and John Kia prompted the measures at the Florence Correctional Center, where 555 Hawai'i inmates are housed.

Sakai said he spoke with the prison warden today about the search.

"He said they didn't find any drugs or weapons," Sakai said. "They did find some homemade alcohol. Inmates do that. It is pretty common."

Inmates were released from the cells last night, although 30 — all from Hawai'i — remain in lockdown, Sakai said. Normal educational and rehabilitation programs resumed today for the others.

Amani, 23, died April 16, possibly from a drug-related heart attack. Prison officials suspect he overdosed on cocaine or methamphetamine.

Kia, 41, died April 25 of an apparent heart attack.

The men are among thousands sent by Hawai'i public safety officials to Mainland prisons since 1995 as a way to ease crowding here.

Nearly 1,200 Hawai'i prisoners are serving time at privately run facilities in Arizona and Oklahoma.

The Florence prison is run by Corrections Corporation of America, based in Nashville, Tenn.

"We had some issues, and we're addressing them," said company spokesman Steve Owen. "We will do a thorough investigation."

Sakai, who sent a team of Hawai'i prison officials to the Florence prison for five days last month to investigate, said the situation warrants further review.

"We clearly need to check on it," he said. "We're always concerned, because we are talking about the safety of our inmates. They need to be locked up, but they deserve to be safe."

The Association Press contributed to this report.