THE ATTICA PRISON RIOT

FACT AND FICTION

Almost twenty-nine years ago on September 9, 1971 the Attica Prison erupted in an inmate riot that made Attica the center of national attention, and a household word.

Despite the establishment of an independent state commission, the Mckay commission, was empowered to investigate the occurrences at Attica.

Within the New York Attorney General's Office the establishment of a special commission, the Meyer commission was formed to investigate the investigation and the occurrences at Attica and present evidence of criminal acts to separate grand juries, there persists to this day myths and misinformation in the public perception of Attica.

THE MYTH THE FACTS

1. THE ELEVEN CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF PRISON SLAIN DURING THE RIOT WERE KILLED BY INMATES SLASHING THEIR THROATS. EXCEPT FOR OFFICER WILLIAM QUINN WHO DIED OF INJURIES INFLICTED BY INMATES DURING THE INITIAL UPRISING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 ALL; FATALITIES AMONG THE HOSTAGES WERE AS A RESULT OF STATE GUNFIRE DURING THE RETAKING ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1971.

2. ONE OR MORE CORRECTION OFFICERS OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WERE CASTRATED BY INMATES. NO HOSTAGE WAS CASTRATED.

3. ONE OR MORE CORRECTION OFFICERS OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE IN D YARD WERE BEATEN AND TORTURED BETWEEN THE INITIAL UPRISING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 AND THE RETAKING OF THE PRISON BY STATE OFFICERS ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1971. AFTER THE INITIAL UPRISING NO HOSTAGE WAS HARMED BY INMATES UP UNTIL THE TIME OF RETAKING.

4. THAT THE FAMILIES OF SLAIN CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES RECEIVED ADEQUATE COMPENSATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK. DEATH BENEFITS RECEIVED BY WIDOWS WERE NO DIFFERENT THAN HAD THERE HUSBANDS DIED A NATURAL DEATH, AN EXAMPLE, $230.00 PER MONTH FOR A WIDOW WITH FIVE MINOR CHILDREN.

5. SURVIVING CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE RECEIVED ADEQUATE COMPENSATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SURVIVING CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE WERE GIVEN TIME OFF WITH PAY NOT KNOWING THE PAYCHECKS THEY RECEIVED WERE FUNDED BY WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION.

6. THE FAMILIES OF SLAIN HOSTAGES AND SURVIVING HOSTAGES WERE ABLE TO SUE THE STATE OF NEW YORK FOR THEIR LOSSES. ALL BUT ONE OF THE FAMILIES UNKNOWINGLY LOST THEIR RIGHT TO SUE THE STATE OF NEW YORK BY ACCEPTING DEATH BENEFITS OR WORKERS COMPENSATION FUNDS.

7. THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OR INJURY OF HOSTAGES OR CREATING THE RISK OF SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY OR DEATH TO HOSTAGES WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT ATTICA OR ITS AFTERMATH.

8. THE WHOLE STORY OF ATTICA HAS BEEN TOLD FAILURE OF STATE OFFICIALS TO COMPILE RECORDS OF THIS EVENT IN A MANNER NORMALLY REQUIRED, THE FAILURE OF THE STATE INVESTIGATION INTO ATTICA TO THOROUGHLY PURSUE THE EVIDENCE WHICH EXISTED AND FINALLY THROUGH THE SEALING OF THE ATTICA RECORDS, THE STORY OF ATTICA IS YET TO BE TOLD.

	THE MYTH	THE FACTS
1.	THE ELEVEN CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF PRISON SLAIN DURING THE RIOT WERE KILLED BY INMATES SLASHING THEIR THROATS.	EXCEPT FOR OFFICER WILLIAM QUINN WHO DIED OF INJURIES INFLICTED BY INMATES DURING THE INITIAL UPRISING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 ALL; FATALITIES AMONG THE HOSTAGES WERE AS A RESULT OF STATE GUNFIRE DURING THE RETAKING ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1971.
2.	ONE OR MORE CORRECTION OFFICERS OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WERE CASTRATED BY INMATES.	NO HOSTAGE WAS CASTRATED.
3.	ONE OR MORE CORRECTION OFFICERS OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE IN D YARD WERE BEATEN AND TORTURED BETWEEN THE INITIAL UPRISING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 AND THE RETAKING OF THE PRISON BY STATE OFFICERS ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1971.	AFTER THE INITIAL UPRISING NO HOSTAGE WAS HARMED BY INMATES UP UNTIL THE TIME OF RETAKING.
4.	THAT THE FAMILIES OF SLAIN CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES RECEIVED ADEQUATE COMPENSATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK.	DEATH BENEFITS RECEIVED BY WIDOWS WERE NO DIFFERENT THAN HAD THERE HUSBANDS DIED A NATURAL DEATH, AN EXAMPLE, $230.00 PER MONTH FOR A WIDOW WITH FIVE MINOR CHILDREN.
5.	SURVIVING CORRECTION OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE RECEIVED ADEQUATE COMPENSATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK.	SURVIVING CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HELD HOSTAGE WERE GIVEN TIME OFF WITH PAY NOT KNOWING THE PAYCHECKS THEY RECEIVED WERE FUNDED BY WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION.
6.	THE FAMILIES OF SLAIN HOSTAGES AND SURVIVING HOSTAGES WERE ABLE TO SUE THE STATE OF NEW YORK FOR THEIR LOSSES.	ALL BUT ONE OF THE FAMILIES UNKNOWINGLY LOST THEIR RIGHT TO SUE THE STATE OF NEW YORK BY ACCEPTING DEATH BENEFITS OR WORKERS COMPENSATION FUNDS.
7.	THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OR INJURY OF HOSTAGES OR CREATING THE RISK OF SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY OR DEATH TO HOSTAGES WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.	NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT ATTICA OR ITS AFTERMATH.
8.	THE WHOLE STORY OF ATTICA HAS BEEN TOLD	FAILURE OF STATE OFFICIALS TO COMPILE RECORDS OF THIS EVENT IN A MANNER NORMALLY REQUIRED, THE FAILURE OF THE STATE INVESTIGATION INTO ATTICA TO THOROUGHLY PURSUE THE EVIDENCE WHICH EXISTED AND FINALLY THROUGH THE SEALING OF THE ATTICA RECORDS, THE STORY OF ATTICA IS YET TO BE TOLD.