Lawsuit Demands End To Ban On 1993 Prison Riot Interviews

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio wants the state prisons agency to drop a ban on media interviews by inmates convicted in the 1993 Lucasville prison riot. Four reporters and five inmates represented by the ACLU say the long-standing ban is unconstitutional and meant only to stifle public discussion of the riot. The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Columbus asks a judge to overturn the ban and allow interviews with the inmates, including four prisoners sentenced to death for their role in the riots. Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokesperson JoEllen Smith said the agency can't comment on pending litigation. Nine inmates and a guard were killed during the 11-day riot, the nation's longest deadly prison uprising.