Posted on 03/07/2006 1:07:54 PM PST by newgeezer
FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) --- Roger Bentley is in isolation at the Iowa State Penitentiary --- status prison officials say will protect the convicted killer and other prisoners.
Bentley two life sentences in February for murdering 10-year-old Jetseta Gage He was transferred to the prison last week after spending seven days at an inmate classification center in Johnson County.
Prisoners usually spend between 30 and 45 days at the center, but prison officials "weren't going to take any risk," said Fred Scaletta, spokesman for the Iowa Department of Corrections.
"We not only have to protect the public but also these people while they are here," he added Monday.
Scaletta noted officials in the past used isolation for other recognizable individuals, including police officers who go to prison.
"This guy and his case were so highly publicized (every other inmate) in reception knew who he was and what he did," Scaletta said.
Bentley, 38, kidnapped Gage from her Cedar Rapids home in March 2005 and murdered her at an abandoned mobile home outside Iowa City. He was arrested at the site and investigators found Gage's body stuffed inside a cabinet.
Bentley was sentenced Feb. 24, arrived at the prison in Johnson County the same day, got a haircut and shave and underwent medical tests. He arrived March 3 at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.
While in protective custody, Bentley can only get out of his cell for an hour each day for recreation five days each week --- less than most other inmates. He is allowed to shower and shave at least three times a week.
As of Monday, 485 people were serving life terms for first-degree murder in Iowa. Like Bentley, 215 others, or about 45 percent of the total, are serving their terms in the southeast Iowa prison.
Copyright © 2006 Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier
I suppose this means any "jailhouse justice" is out of the question (as well as any public stoning event).
I don't have the confidence in "jailhouse justice" that we might have had decades ago. There are a lot of these guys in prison.
Hey Roger....general population would be better for you.
Jailhouse justice will come. He'll just have to wait for it.
If he's ever put in the general population the over/under on his life expectancy is about 5 days
If that. I can hear shivs being sharpened from all the way down here in Louisiana.
Keeping him by himself? How unsocial.
This is one of those rare cases where I do believe in "social justice."
Life without parole in isolation should be fitting.
No TV, of course.
Radio? Nope!
Music? Nope!
Send him the old Readers' Digests from my doctor's office.
Just lock up all the public restrooms and they'll all go somewhere else for their recreation.
No, need for the guards to get to worked up, just give them a few more coffee and cigarette breaks, I'm sure this whole situation will just "work itself out."
Hey, Eric!
I've heard that some rapists are actually respected in prison.
(rightinthemiddleintheozarks)
OK, put him in solitary confinement and weld the door shut. Everybody will be safe then.
This kid liller and raper needs protection in prison. Even hardened criminals draw the line at raping and killing kids. Despite their crimes, most inmates are also parents.
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