Region III OIG investigation stalls

UPDATE:

After 3-months ,OIG and TDCJ claim this is still an ongoing investigation and will not release any information on it. Will it be another investigation allowed to grow cold and disappear ? Major Humphrey is still reassigned to the Region III office as of today. See the original story we posted on this 2 months ago below..

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Region III Stringfellow Investigation bares striking resemblance to that of the Terrell unit years earlier

By Tonya Peters, Backgate Website

In May of 2008, prison officials were admonished by Texas Legislators for what they called a blatant disregard for basic security. Weeks earlier, two TDCJ employee whistle blowers came forward with a story that would eventually create major waves at the state capitol. Corruption plagued the Terrell prison unit in Rosharon for months, but the calls for help remained unanswered by TDCJ administrators. The Backgate broke the story and published it here in this forum where state legislators and Houston area media outlets took notice. What happened after that may have changed the way TDCJ does business.


So why did it take months of red tape,harassment and retaliation by TDCJ officials against the reporting employees to eventually enable a change ? Legislative hearings, the creation of the employee search and other changes were enacted as a result of the ordeal. So have TDCJ administrators learned anything from the fiasco?


The Backgate reported just days ago yet another similar investigation (see below posted story) that is now underway at the Region III Stringfellow unit in Rosharon that may just encompass some of the same issues. "It bares a striking resemblence to the Terrell investigation", said one state legislator the Backgate spoke with. And we have to agree. TDCJ states that the investigation is ongoing and has expanded. A quote we were unable to verify.

Julia Humphrey, who has been Major at the Stringfellow unit for approximately one year, was confirmed as being reassigned as part of the investigation. TDCJ would not comment on any possible charges due to the ongoing investigation at this time.

Emails received by the Backgate Website from several staff members on the Stringfellow unit alleging wrongdoing were forwarded to TDCJ's Office of Inspector General officials for investigation. Those emails alleged wrongdoing on the part of Humphrey dating back months. Employees submitting the emails also alleged that unit officials were advised of the allegations and failed to act. Those allegations however cannot be verified at this point but are said to be part of the ongoing investigation.

State Senator John Whitmire, who heads the states Criminal Justice Committee also received information on the allegations and the issues surrounding them and has made it known that the allegations would be taken seriously and fully investigated by any means necessary.

If you have any first hand knowledge of wrongdoing regarding this case or any other, email it to admin@thebackgate.org. You will remain anonymous.