RIOT or MELEE? Apalachee CI, Florida Prison

Behind the door of the chaplain's office, we could hear them—at least a hundred prisoners shouting in the pitch-black recreation yard. George was right—it was a riot! ~Sheila Anderson with Eric Larson, "Prison Riot!!"; Today's Christian, May/June 1997 http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/7r3/7r3032.html

I've been researching the proper word for what happened at Apalachee CI on February 1, 2005, when 11 officers were wounded and 102 inmates, 52 of whom were charged with various offences, were transported somewhere else overnight.

In my reports at https://www.angelfire.com/fl4/prison/apalachee.html I call the situation a 'riot'. In contrast, the FDOC reports it as a 'Little Melee' and Sterling Ivey calls it 'brawl', as reported in the Tuscaloosa News/Associated Press article below. My readers have different opinions so I decided try to find out what the difference is between a riot, a melee and a brawl.

Angry or fearful prisoners rose up against their keepers, attacking the symbols of authority*, The officers were feeling enough danger that they called in troops from Calhoun CI. They were obviously fearful of losing control of the situation. I consider it a riot because the incident resulted in injuries, will be followed by a rise in fear and retaliation, and may be a foreshadow of things to come.

The magnitude of the words used appear to go from smallest to largest in urgency:
Brawl - to quarrel or fight
Melee - a confused fight or hand to hand struggle between a number of people
Riot - wild or violent disorder, confusion, a violent public disturbing.

Brawl is definately too understated. One source stated the difference between a riot and a melee as: "When its a riot, outside help is called." Remember, from the information we received, Apalachee had to call in help from Calhoun CI.

*"All riots will start at the crowd stage.
Here, the people are gathering peacefully."

...As the inmates and officers were on the rec yard at Apalachee..

*"A special set of conditions is required to encourage normally law-abiding people to begin rampaging and attacking the symbols of authority. First, there must be a crowd or large group of people which have gathered for one purpose—either protesting, partying, or any other reason. Second, respect for government authority among the crowd must have disappeared. Third, there must be some sort of triggering event, like the arrest of a popular figure, or an attack on the crowd by the authorities. Another trigger may be the actions of a single crowd member or group from the crowd in leading an attack on the riot-control troops"

Now, I wasn't there that day, and we know the officers' stories are going to be different from the prisoners'. But there was obviously disorder and confusion, and 11 officers injured sounds like violence was involved.

Most of what I read leads me to believe both 'riot' and 'melee' are propaganda words. The DoC calls it a melee to minimize what happened, while I call it a riot to give proper import to the situation. 'Melee' does not summon a heads up, and I definitely believe this is a wake up call.

So, in a general sense, 'riot' or melee' either one could apply, but whatever we call it, we better consider it a wake-up call. You can only punish and mistreat people so long before the worst is bound to happen. It's called 'human nature', the instinct of survival.

Kay Lee

*Taken from an excellent study, 'Mob Actions and Riots
http://www.phoenixcommand.com/sariot.htm

NOTE: Normally law-abiding people' for our purpose means prisoners doing what they're supposed to be doingm gathered on the rec yard for the same purpose, (respect for the authority of the prison has definately disappeared as more and more errant guards commit crimes under the color of law), and the triggering incident at Apalachee was the inmate refusing to give up the knife, if that is indeed how it happened.

THE FDOC'S Side of the Story and they're stickin to it.

Guard stabbed, 11 others beaten at Sneads prison
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050202/APN/502020801&cachetime=3&template=dateline
Dateline Alabama, AL - 1 hour ago
The Associated Press
February 02, 2005

One guard was stabbed and 11 others beaten during a riot at Apalachee Correctional Institution that began when an attempt was made to seize a prisoner's homemade knife in the recreation yard, officials said Wednesday.

None of the guards was seriously injured in Monday's brawl, which began when a prisoner told a guard he was afraid another prisoner might try to attack him with a shank, Department of Corrections spokesman Sterling Ivey said.

Nakia Huggins was brought to the guards and asked about the knife. He punched one guard and began running. He was quickly isolated between two fences when he began waving the shank at two guards, one of whom was stabbed as he grabbed Huggins from behind, Ivey said.

Meanwhile additional guards were sent into the recreation area, where some of the 200 prisoners began attacking them while others shouted encouragement. It took an hour to restore calm, Ivey said.

After the incident, 52 inmates were charged with offenses ranging from battery on a law enforcement officer to inciting a riot. They were among 102 inmates that were moved to other prisons.

"On the positive side, the situation was contained and didn't have an opportunity to spread to any other portions of the facility," Ivey said. "The officers did a remarkable job of taking control of the situation and making sure there were no further injuries."

Huggins is serving two life sentences for a murder committed during a 1991 Miami-Dade County burglary. Four years ago he was sentenced to another 30 years after setting fire to his mattress while at the Everglades Correctional Institution.

"Simple, clear, and easy-to-understand disciplinary, grievance, and classification appeal processes go a long way at allowing inmates to "vent" their frustrations. There should always be at least the perception of fairness no matter how arbitary and bureaucratic the grievance/appeal process actually is."
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/417/417lect17.htm