Walla Walla’s Prison Nightmare and Spokane’s Odd Chase | Spokane News

In 1976, the Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla was a nightmare of overcrowding and despair—guards called it an “animal pit,” inmates hurled food at doors, and a hundred seventy-six men were locked in a prison-within-a-prison. A motorcycle gang boasted they built swing sets for kids, while a 100-man waiting list revealed the lack of rehabilitative programs. Even a university professor deemed it “outdated,” and one inmate bluntly said a fair review would shut it down. Meanwhile, in 1926, Spokane’s streets saw a bizarre chase: a “fat” detective pursued a slim man three blocks—just as he ducked into a billiard hall, fleeing for fear of jail over unemployment. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ef4adff2b23d56f0