By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – More than 50 inmates are now back in Dale County Jail following a violent incident last month. Former jail inmates Kent Stewart and Katoni Tellis faces charges of attempted murder, escape, criminal mischief and two counts of assault for the May 11 violence. Three jailers and one inmate were injured. Jail officials say the inmates launched an attempted takeover at around 9:40 pm on May 11th. The incident lasted about an hour. It began when Stewart and Tellis went into the jail's control room and attacked a jailer with a homemade knife. The two other jailers and one inmate were attacked as other inmates began breaking windows and light fixtures throughout the jail. Metal cell beds and benches were also torn from the floors during the riot.
Both Stewart and Tellis eventually surrendered. Stewart was being held without bond on charges of raping a 10-year-old girl in Ozark in April and for violating the Community Notification Act as a sex offender. The day before the uprising, Tellis had been sentenced to 30 years in prison for robbery of a delivery man. Both have been transferred to a state prison. Charges against some others involved are pending. The three jailers injured were overseeing 71 inmates at the time of the attempted takeover.