Varner Unit
{{Short description|High-security state prison in Arkansas}}
{{Infobox Prison
| prison_name = Varner Unit
| image =
| location = Varner, Arkansas
| coordinates =
| status = open
| classification = close, maximum
| capacity = 1714
| opened = 1987
| closed =
| managed_by = Arkansas Department of Corrections
| director =
}}
File:CumminsVarnerAerialView.PNG units, U.S. Geological Survey, February 28, 2001]]
The Varner Unit is a high-security state prison for men of the Arkansas Department of Corrections in Varner,"[http://www.telegram.com/article/20100929/APA/309299588 New hearing ordered for 3 in Ark. scout deaths]." Associated Press at the Worcester Telegram. Wednesday September 29, 2010. Retrieved on March 5, 2011. "Damien Echols is interviewed in the visiting area of the Arkansas Department of Correction Varner Unit prison in Varner," Choctaw Township, unincorporated Lincoln County, Arkansas, United States. It is located along U.S. Highway 65,"[http://adc.arkansas.gov/faciliities/Pages/facilityDetails.aspx?show=2 Varner Unit]." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on July 18, 2010. "28 miles south of Pine Bluff off Highway 65 in Lincoln County." near Grady,"[http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=1621337&nav=0jshKUQ4 Doors to Arkansas' Death Row Open Unexpectedly for Second Time]." Associated Press at KAIT. January 29, 2004. Retrieved on March 5, 2011. "The Varner Supermax is near Grady in Lincoln County." and {{convert|28|mi|km}} south of Pine Bluff. The prison can house over 1,600 prisoners, and it includes a 468-bed supermax (Super Maximum Security) facility.[http://www.state.ar.us/doc/history2.html History of the Arkansas Department of Correction] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051206091614/http://www.state.ar.us/doc/history2.html |date=December 6, 2005 }} The supermax and non-supermax facilities are separate from one another.Koon, David. "[http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/03/01/prison-phones-lead-to-melee Prison phones lead to melee]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160307065457/http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/03/01/prison-phones-lead-to-melee Archive]). Arkansas Times. Retrieved on February 25, 2016.
The Varner Unit Supermax houses male inmates scheduled for execution in Arkansas, currently performed by lethal injection. The actual executions take place at the nearby Cummins Unit."[http://www.arkansas.gov/senate/newsroom/files/junethirteen.doc State Capitol Week in Review]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150923173615/http://www.arkansas.gov/senate/newsroom/files/junethirteen.doc Archive]) State of Arkansas. June 13, 2008. Retrieved on August 15, 2010. "Executions are carried out in the Cummins Unit, which is adjacent to Varner." The female death row is located at the McPherson Unit.Haddigan, Michael. "[https://web.archive.org/web/19990508130907/http://www.arktimes.com/990409coverstory.html They Kill Women, Don't They?]" Arkansas Times. April 9, 1999. Retrieved on August 15, 2010. Varner is one of the state of Arkansas's "parent units" for male prisoners; it serves as one of several units of initial assignment for processed male prisoners."[https://web.archive.org/web/20100819032000/http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf Guide for Family and Friends]" ([http://web.archive.org/web/20100819032000/http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/pdf/handbook.pdf Archive]). Arkansas Department of Correction. 2 (4/27). Retrieved on July 18, 2010. " After intake, inmates are transferred to a parent unit for their initial assignment. Male inmates are assigned to the Varner, Cummins, East Arkansas, Grimes or Tucker Units."
History
The Varner Unit was opened in 1987 with 300 beds, and its capacity was soon increased to 700 beds. Further construction has brought the total capacity to over 1,600 prisoners. The supermax units opened in 2000, and federal grants paid 90% of the construction costs."[http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/history_gallery.html Prison History and Gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310123329/http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/history_gallery.html |date=2011-03-10 }}." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on November 22, 2010.
At one time the State of Arkansas housed all young male offenders in the state prison system in Varner. While this was the case, Correction Officers and prisoners nicknamed the facility the "Gladiator School."Parker, Allison. The rest of their lives:
Life Without Parole for Child Offenders in the United States. Human Rights Watch, 2005. [https://books.google.com/books?id=6d2N7-wxSToC&dq=Varner+Arkansas+School&pg=PA75 75]. Retrieved from Google Books on March 5, 2011. {{ISBN|1-56432-335-8}}, {{ISBN|978-1-56432-335-4}}.
On Friday August 22, 2003, all 39 Arkansas death row inmates were moved from the Maximum Security Unit to the Supermax at the Varner Unit."[https://web.archive.org/web/20030913131450/http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=1417128 Death Row On The Move] ." KAIT. August 26, 2003. Retrieved on August 15, 2010.
In 2011, a fight among prisoners and correctional officers led to injuries among correctional officers."[http://www.necn.com/03/03/11/Ark-prison-guards-hurt-during-brawl-with/landing_nation.html?&blockID=3&apID=29ba9d9915044035900fb89410a362db Ark. prison guards hurt during brawl with inmates]." NECN. March 3, 2011. Retrieved on March 5, 2011.
During 2004/2005, ADC installed an electric fence between two non-electric fences in the Varner Unit. It received testing in late December 2004 and was activated in January 2005. The system used inmate labor to assist with the construction of the fence."[https://web.archive.org/web/20221015235147/http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/pdf/newsletters/feb_advocate.pdf Third Electric Fence Installed With Inmate Labor]." ADC Advocate. Arkansas Department of Correction, February 2005. 3 (3/25). Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
Composition
Operations
Varner houses a vegetable processing plant."[http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/pdf/facts_brochure2006.pdf 2006 Fact Brochure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806120702/http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/pdf/facts_brochure2006.pdf |date=2009-08-06 }}." Arkansas Department of Correction. 8 (8/38). Retrieved on March 8, 2011.
The main campus of the Riverside Vocational Technical School is located behind the Varner Unit."[http://www.riversidevtech.org/gpage.html Campuses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727220911/http://www.riversidevtech.org/gpage.html |date=2011-07-27 }}." Riverside Vocational Technical School. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
Prisoner life
=Education=
In 2011, a campus of the Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary was established in the prison.Stephen Simpson, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/oct/09/prison-seminary-program-looking-to-expand-with-a/ Prison seminary program in state looking to expand with a new facility], arkansasonline.com, USA, October 9, 2022
Notable inmates
= Current =
- Zachary Holly:{{Cite web|title=ADC|url=https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000981&token=2e154e1611f8b5c7e4f62adf79c33150c47fc5fcd8bc647a4b313c32da99c54f&lastname=Holly&firstname=Zachary&sex=b&agetype=1&disclaimer=1&__utma=149258854.148979346.1607303505.1607303505.1607303505.1&__utmz=149258854.1607303505.1.1.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=(not+provided)&PHPSESSID=de2af3a6b838a993be664179bc5b1623&__utmc=149258854&__utmb=149258854.4.10.1607303505|access-date=2020-12-07|website=apps.ark.org}} convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Jersey Bridgeman.
- Randy Gay:{{Cite web |title=ADC |url=https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000980&token=298d19c80fda5bd8af08bc4c1147fb8a7d98141a998a223d92cc9cbac7af7e3d&lastname=Gay&firstname=Randy&sex=b&agetype=1&disclaimer=1&PHPSESSID=92c2af4d4c5a5d5cad1b393ee4890551 |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=apps.ark.org}} convicted and sentenced to death for murdering someone while having two prior convictions for murder.
- Karl Roberts:{{Cite web |title=ADC |url=https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000956&token=298d19c80fda5bd8af08bc4c1147fb8a7d98141a998a223d92cc9cbac7af7e3d&lastname=Roberts&firstname=Karl&sex=M&agetype=1&disclaimer=1&PHPSESSID=92c2af4d4c5a5d5cad1b393ee4890551 |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=apps.ark.org}} convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Andria Brewer.
- Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad: perpetrator of the Little Rock recruiting office shooting.{{cite web | url=https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=150550&token=53bdcdb7ca02cd3db358b956f471eace397cde66dedecfd0a7539e8041c2938c&lastname=Muhammad&firstname=Abdulhakim&sex=b&agetype=1&disclaimer=1&__utma=149258854.966255296.1716061953.1716061953.1716061953.1&__utmb=149258854.6.10.1716061953&__utmc=149258854&__utmz=149258854.1716061953.1.1.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D%28not+provided%29&PHPSESSID=3e03d1219c614126ddd606f5ae2db7d8 | title=ADC }}
- Grant Hardin: convicted and sentenced for murder and rape, a former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas and former officer for three Northwest Arkansas area police departments.{{Cite web |last=Boyette |first=Zoe Sottile, Taylor Romine, Chris |date=2025-06-06 |title=Former Arkansas police chief who escaped from prison has been recaptured, sheriff’s office says |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/us/grant-hardin-arkansas-captured |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=CNN |language=en}} Hardin previously escaped North Central Unit, before being transferred.
= Former =
Death row:
- Damien Echols:Feyerick, Deborah and Stephanie Chen. " [http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/28/west.memphis.3.damien.echols/index.html?hpt=C1 Echols of West Memphis 3 talks about appeal, death row]." CNN. September 29, 2010. Retrieved on September 29, 2010."[http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000931&lastname=Echols&firstname=Damien&sex=b&agetype=1 Echols , Damien]." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on November 25, 2010. member of the West Memphis Three (released on August 19, 2011).
Non-death row
- Jessie Misskelley:"[http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=103072&firstname=Jessie&sex=M&agetype=1 Miskelly Jr , Jessie L]." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved on November 25, 2010. member of the West Memphis Three (released on August 19, 2011).
- Jason Baldwin : member of the West Memphis Three (released on August 19, 2011).
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|United States}}
- [http://adc.arkansas.gov/facilities/details/varner-unit Varner Unit, Arkansas Department of Corrections]
- [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=7609 "Varner Unit"] entry from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
{{State prisons in Arkansas}}
{{West Memphis Three}}
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Category:Buildings and structures in Lincoln County, Arkansas
Category:Capital punishment in Arkansas