Georgia State Prison was the main maximum-security facility in the US state of Georgia for the Georgia Department of Corrections. It was located in unincorporatedTattnall County.[1] First opened in 1938, the prison housed some of the most dangerous inmates in the state's history, and it was the site of Georgia's death row until 1980.
Despite a published capacity of 1530,[2] the facility housed approximately 1900 inmates,[3] with a wide range of security levels from Minimum to Close. The last warden was Trevonza Bobbitt.[3]
The historic prison building stands at 300 1st Avenue South near Reidsville, Georgia. The state's extensive farm operation, Rogers State Prison, is also nearby - about a mile away.
The facility was designed by Atlanta architects Tucker & Howell. The modern classic architecture included a central tower and courtyard, and frieze by Julian Harris titled Rehabilitation depicting trades and occupations.[4] It opened in 1937. The building had been extensively renovated and expanded since.
On January 1, 1938, Georgia's death row and execution chamber relocated from the old state prison at Milledgeville, where it had been since the September 13, 1924 execution of 22-year-old Howard Hinton, to GSP. One of the prisoners executed here was Lena Baker, an African American maid from Cuthbert, Georgia, who had been wrongfully convicted of murdering her employer. Killed in March 1945, she remains the only woman electrocuted by the state.[5]
From 1964 until 1976 the U.S. Supreme Court suspended executions. Then in June 1980 Georgia's site of execution was moved to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison (GD&CP) near Jackson, Georgia in Butts County. A new electric chair was installed in place of the previous one, which was put on display[6] on the upper floors of the main building.
Also on display are prison documents containing names, authorizations, and last statements of the prisoners. In the 1940s and 1950s, volunteers were offered $25 to flip the switches which would start the flow of electricity and eventually lead to the death of the prisoner. Inmates would often be doused with saltwater to improve the electrical connection and to hasten death.
The prison was closed by the Georgia Department of Corrections on February 19, 2022, due to aging infrastructure and the need to safely house larger numbers of violent inmates and gang members. Prior to closure, all prisoners had been transferred to other locations.
Notable prisoners
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with others, was arrested at an Atlanta sit-in on October 19, 1960. While the others were released, King was held regarding a previous traffic case and was transferred to the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Georgia on October 22, where he was a prisoner until October 29; pressure from soon-to-be presidentJohn F. Kennedy, and the entire Kennedy family, saw King released on a $2,000 bond.[8]
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Georgia State Prison news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Georgia State Prison was the main maximum security facility in the US state of Georgia for the Georgia Department of Corrections It was located in unincorporated Tattnall County 1 First opened in 1938 the prison housed some of the most dangerous inmates in the state s history and it was the site of Georgia s death row until 1980 Georgia State PrisonLocation300 1st Avenue South Reidsville Georgia addressUnited StatesStatusClosedSecurity classmixedCapacity1550Opened1938Closed2022Managed byGeorgia Department of CorrectionsWardenTrevonza BobbittCountyTattnallRehabilitation Despite a published capacity of 1530 2 the facility housed approximately 1900 inmates 3 with a wide range of security levels from Minimum to Close The last warden was Trevonza Bobbitt 3 The historic prison building stands at 300 1st Avenue South near Reidsville Georgia The state s extensive farm operation Rogers State Prison is also nearby about a mile away Contents 1 History 2 Notable prisoners 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory EditThe facility was designed by Atlanta architects Tucker amp Howell The modern classic architecture included a central tower and courtyard and frieze by Julian Harris titled Rehabilitation depicting trades and occupations 4 It opened in 1937 The building had been extensively renovated and expanded since On January 1 1938 Georgia s death row and execution chamber relocated from the old state prison at Milledgeville where it had been since the September 13 1924 execution of 22 year old Howard Hinton to GSP One of the prisoners executed here was Lena Baker an African American maid from Cuthbert Georgia who had been wrongfully convicted of murdering her employer Killed in March 1945 she remains the only woman electrocuted by the state 5 From 1964 until 1976 the U S Supreme Court suspended executions Then in June 1980 Georgia s site of execution was moved to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison GD amp CP near Jackson Georgia in Butts County A new electric chair was installed in place of the previous one which was put on display 6 on the upper floors of the main building Also on display are prison documents containing names authorizations and last statements of the prisoners In the 1940s and 1950s volunteers were offered 25 to flip the switches which would start the flow of electricity and eventually lead to the death of the prisoner Inmates would often be doused with saltwater to improve the electrical connection and to hasten death Georgia State Prison was the first US prison to be accredited by the American Medical Association and the American Correctional Association 7 The facility was the filming location of the film The Longest Yard which starred Burt Reynolds Eddie Albert and James Hampton The prison was closed by the Georgia Department of Corrections on February 19 2022 due to aging infrastructure and the need to safely house larger numbers of violent inmates and gang members Prior to closure all prisoners had been transferred to other locations Notable prisoners EditDr Martin Luther King Jr with others was arrested at an Atlanta sit in on October 19 1960 While the others were released King was held regarding a previous traffic case and was transferred to the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville Georgia on October 22 where he was a prisoner until October 29 pressure from soon to be president John F Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family saw King released on a 2 000 bond 8 Until 2007 when he was transferred to the United States Penitentiary Tucson GSP housed radical activist H Rap Brown now known as Jamil Al Amin Al Amin was the chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the late 1960s and was found guilty of murder in 2000 References Edit 2020 CENSUS CENSUS BLOCK MAP Tattnall County GA PDF U S Census Bureau p 6 PDF p 7 16 Retrieved August 13 2022 Georgia State Prison GA STATE PRISON The Georgia Department of Corrections www dcor state ga us Retrieved February 15 2021 a b New Warden at Georgia State Prison dcor state ga us Georgia Department of Corrections July 9 2019 Tucker and Howell Georgia Encyclopedia Lohr Kathy Ga Woman Pardoned 60 Years After Her Execution National Public Radio Retrieved December 10 2008 A History of the Death Penalty in Georgia Archive Georgia Department of Corrections Retrieved on November 18 2012 New Warden Appointed to Historic Georgia State Prison Chronology Archived from the original on May 2 2007 Retrieved May 22 2007 Further reading EditInterview with E B Caldwell Warden at GSP 1971 1974 where External links Edit State of Georgia portalGeorgia Department Of Corrections Georgia State Prison State of Georgia 32 00 13 N 82 09 52 W 32 003506 N 82 164416 W 32 003506 82 164416 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Georgia State Prison amp oldid 1104272013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
