Florida

Florida Prisons Chief: Unaware of Any Further KKK Activity

Florida prisons chief Julie Jones says she knows of no further Ku Klux Klan activity by Florida prison officials, beyond two guards and a former guard arrested last week on charges of plotting to kill a black inmate.

But Jones told the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday that detecting extremists can be difficult because corrections officials can't ask about job applicants' political affiliations.

She said the two guards working at the department's Lake Butler facility when they were arrested hadn't shown signs of their views in their work.

Under questioning by the committee, Jones defended department policies for making sure top management is aware of serious incidents and problems in prisons.

The committee was considering confirming Jones' appointment as corrections secretary and unanimously recommended it to the full Senate.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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