California women’s prison officers accused of using chemical agents on inmates

Correctional officers at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla are accused of abusing 159 women during a mass confinement incident. Reports indicate that officers removed the women from their housing unit and held them in a dining hall for over four hours without access to food, water, or medication.

When tensions escalated, staff reportedly used pepper spray and chemical blast grenades on the inmates. Further reports state that while prisoners were held outside on a yard with their hands zip-tied, officers deployed additional tear gas and pepper grenades. The use of force resulted in serious medical issues for some women, including seizures, blindness, and strokes.