Arkansas inmates had Taser during prison incident

LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Several Arkansas inmates who stole keys from correction officers and briefly controlled the doors and locks in part of a maximum security prison also had a Taser, and a key was found on a bus after the inmates were sent to another facility following the incident, according to documents released Tuesday by the state.

The documents provided to The Associated Press under an open records request show that Arkansas Department of Correction Director Wendy Kelley told other prison officials in an email that the inmates who held the three officers for three hours at the Maximum Security Unit in Tucker Monday had also taken a Taser and other equipment.

"We need to learn from these incidents, make changes as necessary and continue to strengthen our operation," Kelley told the officials, whom she asked to serve on a committee investigating the disturbance.

Text messages also revealed that a handcuff key was found on a bus that took the inmates to another facility. Department of Correction Spokesman Solomon Graves said the key was discovered after the inmates had been transported, while a door key was found when the inmates were searched prior to transport. Both keys were believed to be from the incident, Graves said. According to the texts, the inmates were searched before they left so it's unclear where on the bus the cuff key was found. The inmates also urinated on the bus, according to the messages.

In the texts, prisons officials expressed relief that the inmates were searched before they left for the Varner Supermax Unit following the incident.