[Judge Rage]

'Stabilisation Team' called in after Armacham Prison Collapse

Bloodied prisoners and staff line up following the chaotic events at Armacham Prison, Rockford. 

ROCKFORD, ID — Private security contractor Armacham International and the State Department of Corrections were forced to deploy a combined 'Stabilisation Task Force' of police and private forces last night, after the controversial Armacham-operated prison in Rockford descended into open riot.

The violent unrest was the final spark in a week of escalating disorder under Warden Norton’s command - a period marked by allegations of severe negligence, brutality, and administrative failure. Multiple attempted escapes, at least three confirmed deaths, and widespread accusations of misconduct have drawn national attention and prompted a joint state-federal investigation.

Among the most alarming allegations: Warden Norton is reported to have ordered staff to bring a prisoner to the infirmary, where he attempted to coerce the prison doctor into performing an unsanctioned 'frontal lobotomy' on the inmate. According to internal sources, Norton even offered to carry out the procedure himself.

In another disturbing incident, Security Chief Richard Drayton allegedly assaulted a receptionist for accidentally pressing a panic button - an event now cited by insiders as indicative of a deeply toxic internal culture.

Chief Drayton was later killed in what Armacham described as an escape-related incident, stating he was "shot by an escaped inmate" in an alleyway. However, this official version is contradicted by surveillance footage reviewed by this paper, which reportedly shows an unidentified member of security firing a beanbag round at Drayton, restraining him, and dragging him into an alley - where he was later found dead. The identity of the officer involved has not been released.

An aerial view as police and staff attempted to regain control at the prison.

That was not the only death inside the prison walls. An inmate was reportedly beaten to death by security personnel. This incident remains under investigation, but Warden Norton later confronted the inmate’s attorney, Saul Reeper, allegedly threatening him before ordering security staff to detain him and 'throw him in [sic] gen pop' - a move described by some observers as retaliatory and illegal. Reeper was reportedly helped out of the prison by a sympathetic security staff member.

In the aftermath, a surprise inspection was attempted by state authorities. But before inspectors could gain access, Norton reportedly barricaded himself inside the infirmary and ingested a cyanide capsule. Despite resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Responsibility for the prison was handed, on an interim basis, to junior manager Freya Taylor, previously in charge of reception and processing. Within hours of assuming control, however, the situation imploded.

Though accounts differ, the chain of events began as inmates returned from external labor. A riot erupted in the main cell block, with some prisoners breaching secure areas - including rooftops - and others fleeing entirely. Fires were started, and a janitor, Mark Muffalo, was cornered and fatally stabbed in a security room.

Overwhelmed and outnumbered, prison staff called for external assistance. The 'Stabilisation Task Force' - comprised of Armacham security personnel and police officers, including some from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office - responded swiftly, restoring control through what one witness described as “overwhelming force.”

Inmates and staff are lined up and processed under armed guard. Image courtesy of Dr. Samantha Madelyn.

Inmates and staff were rounded up in the prison’s front yard. Staff were separated and debriefed, while prisoners were loaded into vehicles and transported to alternate correctional facilities across the state. Several are still unaccounted for.

Governor Brad Little, whose brother sits on the board of Armacham Security, stated:

“We will be reviewing all private prison contracts within the state and taking steps to make sure this doesn't happen again.”

The chaos at Armacham Prison has renewed scrutiny of Idaho’s reliance on private correctional contractors. Critics argue the violent collapse in Rockford is a damning indictment of the for-profit prison model - a system that incentivizes cost-cutting and secrecy over transparency and accountability.

How many deaths, assaults, or illegal detentions does it take before oversight becomes reform? Would any of this have come to light had the riot not occurred?

And how deeply broken must a prison be when its Warden’s emergency plan for state inspection involves swallowing cyanide?

The people of Rockford - and the nation - are now waiting for answers.

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Published: 15th June 2025

Submitted by: Alyce Locke

[Judge Rage]

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