The Mark W. Michael Unit (MI) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison located in unincorporated Anderson County, Texas.[1] The unit is along Farm to Market Road 2054, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Tennessee Colony. The unit, on 20,518 acres (8,303 ha) of land, is co-located with the Beto, Coffield, and Powledge prison units and the Gurney Transfer Unit.[2] The unit is in proximity to Palestine and the Rusk ironworks,[3] and it is in about a one-hour driving distance from Dallas.[4]
 | |
| Location | 2664 FM 2054 Tennessee Colony, Texas 75886 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31.7942667°N 095.9034500°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | G1-G5, Administrative Segregation, Outside Trusty, Safekeeping |
| Capacity | Unit: 2,984 Trusty Camp: 321 |
| Opened | September 1987 |
| Managed by | TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division |
| Warden | Veronica Lilly |
| County | Anderson County |
| Country | United States |
| Website | www |
The Michael Unit opened in September 1987.[2] Texas officials referred to the facility as "model for the future."[5] Robert Perkinson, author of Texas Tough: The Rise of America's Prison Empire, described Michael as "one of the meanest lockups" in Texas.[6]
Operations
Michael was one of the first prisons to no longer use the "telephone-pole" layout,[7] which has central pickets with dead-end cell blocks extending from them.[8] The telephone-pole layout, while inexpensive to build, is difficult to police without building tenders, convicts paid to police other convicts. Instead Michael uses a modular pod design, which allows for riot control and visual surveillance. Most pods have double-bunk, reinforced concrete cells with security features such as slit windows and bolted-down metal toilets. Some pods have dormitories.[7] Michael was one of several new prisons to have the ability to have many prisoners in extended lockdowns.[3] State officials said that Michael's features allowing for extended lockdowns of prisoners were modeled on the United States Penitentiary, Marion.[7]
Notable prisoners
Current:
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon Miles | 07462349 / 02150490 | Serving a life sentence without parole. | Perpetrator of the 2015 Murder of Darren Goforth, in which Miles killed him at a gas station.[9][10][11] |
| Richard Acosta Jr. | Life without parole | Capital murder multiple persons |
Former:
- Michael Morton - Exonerated of the crime which he was convicted of. He was transferred to Michael after obtaining his master's degree.[12]
- Steven Jay Russell[13] - The prisoner is a character in the film I Love You Phillip Morris
- Elmer Wayne Henley[4][14]
References
External links
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