Gov. Reeves calls for Unit 29 at Parchman to close down

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves called for the closure of Unit 29 at Mississippi State Penitentiary.

Reeves made the announcement Monday. He said he has instructed Mississippi Department of Corrections to start taking steps toward closing the unit.

Reeves said there’s a number of logistical issues to handle first that will be worked through.

“I’ve seen enough,” Reeves said. “We have to turn the page. This is the first step, and I have asked the Department to begin the preparations to make it happen safely, justly, and quickly.”

This comes amid a number of deaths at Parchman. The most recent happened Sunday morning when 26-year-old Joshua Norman was found hanging in his cell.

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