SCDC defends long-standing policy of ban on media interviews with inmates

SOUTH CAROLINA (WCIV) — The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) is asking for a complete dismissal of a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina over the controversial ban on media interviews with inmates.

The ACLU filed the lawsuit against the SCDC in February, arguing the policy goes against the inmates' First Amendment rights.

Read more: ACLU challenges long-standing policy that bans inmates from media interviews

The SCDC says the ACLU failed to back their claims on ban going against the First Amendment and made a motion to have the ACLU's request for a preliminary injunction be denied.

Reasons given for why the policy is necessary include how inmates could use media interviews for their advantage and send possible codes and signals to the outside world. The SCDC also says interviews could be a danger to the prison's security and possibly putting the safety of the inmates in jeopardy.

Representatives with the ACLU still maintain the ban is wrong. They also note other states allow certain media access.

"Nothing that they've said changes our analysis," said Allen Chaney, the legal director for ACLU of South Carolina. "It's sort of strange they say we have not been injured by their policy, but at the same time, maintain we're not allowed to do what we're asking to be allowed to do. Both of those things can't be true at the same time."

"They argue they have to be able to prohibit phone interviews and video interviews because of all these security related issues," Chaney continued. "That just simply can't be true. In lots of other places, prisons systems are able to accommodate real time interviews between me, the media, and inmates."

When asked for comment, the SCDC said the filing provides the reasons for why the lawsuit should be dismissed. The ACLU has 14 days to respond to the motion for the dismissal and the motion to deny a preliminary injunction.