Jefferson City, Missouri — Prisoners at multiple Missouri correctional facilities report being ordered to shovel snow during dangerously cold conditions, raising concerns about safety and treatment as temperatures plunged below zero during a winter storm.
Spain Bady, incarcerated at Algoa Correctional Center, said he was instructed to clear snow from walkways Saturday morning as wind chills neared minus 20 degrees. Bady said he refused, arguing he was enrolled full-time in educational programming and exempt from labor. He claims he was then placed in administrative segregation, stripped, and held for hours in an unheated area. Missouri Department of Corrections officials said records show Bady was assigned to a paid outdoor maintenance crew, making him subject to the work order.
Similar complaints emerged from Moberly Correctional Center, where inmates said they were awakened overnight and before dawn for multiple snow-clearing shifts in subzero conditions. Wesley Hays, incarcerated at Moberly, said refusal would have resulted in discipline. He and others described inadequate winter gear and broken equipment, while noting snow-removal vehicles were reportedly available but unused for hours.
The Missouri Department of Corrections said snow removal is necessary during storms to maintain access for medical staff and daily operations. Spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said inmates assigned to snow duty receive protective clothing and that equipment is used where appropriate, though not all walkways can be cleared mechanically.
Advocates argue the work should have been limited or delayed due to the extreme cold, warning of hypothermia and frostbite risks. The department said refusing a designated work assignment can result in disciplinary action.
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