By Angela Hatton
Eddyville, KY – Kentucky State Penitentiary inmates, along with volunteer pastors, are upset at restrictions on visitation being enforced at the Eddyville prison. Death row inmates Ralph Baze and Randy Height say the rules limit who a pastor may visit and cuts off the only regular visitors most inmates receive. Kentucky Department of Corrections spokesman Todd Henson says that isn't true.
"They're allowed to have all the family they want, and three other people in addition to their family that are authorized visitors. And all we're asking them to do is get on the authorized list so that they can do their visits so they can do their visits. Like I said, we're not trying to hinder them from their visits. We actually encourage them to participate."
Henson says the policy is system-wide and has been in place for some time. But he says it hasn't been enforced in recent years at Eddyville. Volunteer pastor Gerald Otahal of Owensboro says the rules prevented him from meeting with an inmate last week for counseling and prayer.