Pittsburg County judge denies injunction request against prison rodeo

Thursday, September 2nd 2004, 5:48 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) _ A prison inmate who requested that the upcoming Oklahoma State Prison Rodeo be stopped got an answer and a warning that any future litigation he may file will come at a price.

Pittsburg County District Judge Steven Taylor denied Michael C. Washington's motion for a temporary restraining order that could've barred OSP Warden Mike Mullin and the state Department of Corrections from hosting the annual event, which is set to begin Friday.

In legal papers Washington mailed last month to support his request, Washington alleged that inmates in the maximum-security prison were being deprived of their rights and privileges.

Washington also requested that a private investigation team be sent to the prison and that a declaratory judgment that inmates' rights have been violated be issued.

He wrote that the only reason the DOC wants the rodeo to go on is for ``economic reasons, in total disregard for the way inmates are being treated inside the prison.''

In his ruling Tuesday, Taylor said Washington had not shown any connection between his allegations about prison conditions and his request to stop the rodeo.

Taylor also said Washington's allegations of cruel and downtrodden treatment are unsupported, particularly since Washington seems to have the freedom, time and resources to generate multiple lawsuits.