State penitentiary in McAlester installs a metal detector in the prison exercise yard

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- State prison officials have installed a metal detector at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.<br/><br/>The move comes after a series of knife attacks between inmates

Monday, April 18th 2005, 5:28 pm

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- State prison officials have installed a metal detector at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

The move comes after a series of knife attacks between inmates that left two inmates wounded.

Prison spokeswoman Lee Man says inmates must walk through the metal detector before they go to the prison's exercise yard.

One of the stabbings occurred as inmates were being taken to the exercise yard, the second stabbing was during a fight between inmates in the exercise yard. Home-made knives were found in the yard after both fights.

In another recent incident an inmate attacked and head-butted a guard in the kitchen at the prison after the officer took a razor from the inmate.