SC inmate killed Sunday by other inmates, prison official says

A 32-year old inmate at Turbeville Correctional Institution in Clarendon County was killed by other inmates, an S.C. Department of Corrections official said Monday.

“It was an inmate-on-inmate altercation that led to his passing,” said prison communications director Jeff Taillon.

The inmate, Allen Jerome Capers, was serving sentences from Charleston County for armed robbery and kidnapping, according to prison records.

Sentenced out of Charleston County in 2004, Capers would have been eligible for release in 2026.

Citing an ongoing investigation, Taillon said he could not answer other questions at this time.

The other questions included: Where in the prison did his death take place? Was his body moved? Was the death discovered immediately? Was the death gang-related?

“That’s all under investigation,” Taillon said.

The Clarendon County coroner’s office on Monday had no available information on how Capers died.

The incident was isolated to one housing unit, adding it was no threat to the public, prison officials said.

All staff were safe and accounted for, but eight inmates were sent for off-site medical treatment.

Turbeville Correctional Institution is a medium-security type facility, with 928 youthful offender beds and 544 adult beds.

In recent years, Capers had run afoul of prison regulations and had been disciplined for infractions such as possession of a cell phone, possession of a weapon, under the influence of prison liquor, possession of narcotics and being involved in a riot, according to prison records.

This story was originally published January 1, 2018 at 3:05 PM with the headline "SC inmate killed Sunday by other inmates, prison official says."