A new report says locks failed for years at an Arizona prison and allowed for serious beatings of prisoners and guards, but Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan failed to appreciate the seriousness of the problem until video of an assault was broadcast on television.
The report by two retired Arizona Supreme Court says Ryan "remained surprisingly uninformed" about problems at Lewis Prison west of Phoenix.
Justices Rebecca White Berch and Ruth McGregor also place blame on understaffing, complacency and poor management at the prison in 2017 and 2018.
Ryan announced his retirement the day after he sat for his final interview with the justices.
The Department of Corrections issued a statement saying the report provides a fair assessment of the cell-door issues at Lewis.
