Five hundred cell doors unlocked all at once at a Maryland prison Saturday morning. A computer glitch was blamed for the fact that the hinged doors, for the second time in a week, swung open freely and simultaneously. The mass cell-door-unlock allowed all kinds of convicted criminals free reign of the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's main facility in Boyds, Md. if they so desired.
However, surprisingly, not a single inmate at the Maryland facility attempted to escape out of the 500 cells affected. A computer glitch activated an emergency release reportedly saved for fire and other evacuation situations, opening 500 cell doors at once just after Midnight on Saturday. The same unlock reportedly occurred sometime last Tuesday.
The department's director Arthur Wallenstein confirmed the computer glitch was the case, and told the Washington Post his office was working to fix and prevent the situation from happening again. "It's definitely a problem. We must find the source of it. Any security door opening in an unexpected manner constitutes a major security problem," he said.
Until the doors were able to be locked again, local police formed somewhat of a perimeter around the outside of the prison, located northwest of Washington, D.C. The situation contrasts with another Maryland prison, which was subject to a recent investigation after "inmates took over the asylum" in Baltimore's detention center. A number of guards were accused of being seduced by a gang leader in exchange for certain perks.
Read about the Baltimore prison situation HERE.
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