Probe Of Prison Deaths May Remain Secret

The head of the North Carolina agency that runs state prisons says corrections officials may never fully explain the lapses that led to the beating death of a guard earlier this year and a later attack in October that killed four workers.
Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks said he'll decide later if an internal report describing what happened and why can be seen by the public, or whether that would imperil prison security and future murder trials.
That bothers a state lawmaker who represents the area including Pasquotank Correctional Institution, scene of the deadliest attack by inmates in state history.
Republican State Rep. Bob Steinburg said Thursday that reversing staffing shortages that make prisons more dangerous won't be possible unless potential employees understand problems and see when they're fixed.