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Prison Inmate Syvinski Seeks Protection Against 'Jailhouse Justice'As part of the unofficial code of conduct among prisoners, Byron Syvinski said he was beaten because of allegations against him for assaulting 7-year-old Am-Marie Martin.Related Content
An Anchorage man accused of attacking a young girl is seeking protection from fellow inmates.
It’s known as jailhouse justice or vigilantism, but it begs the question as to whether certain inmates are being protected behind bars more than others. As part of the unofficial code of conduct among prisoners, Byron Syvinski said he was beaten because of allegations against him for assaulting 7-year-old Am-Marie Martin earlier this summer. “The decision to release him to the general population was frightening,” said Jeffery Robinson, Syvinski’s attorney. Robinson said his client was severely beaten and sustained two black eyes. “There are members of the alleged victim’s family in the general population that Mr. Syvinski was released to…he was beaten quite immediately and quite severely.” Andrea Dunwoody, Am-Marie’s mother, said that while Syvinski has rights, he should be held accountable for what he is accused of doing to her daughter. “My daughter couldn't fight back so someone else is doing it for her, I guess.” Dunwoody said she doesn’t “have that much sympathy for him” because she has to “look at my daughter's permanent black eye every day.” Robinson insists that inmates should not have to fear for their own safety while in a secure facility. “We live in a civilized society. We don't believe in vigilante justice. We believe that Mr. Syvinski is part of society at large, that he is part of the community. He demands and deserves the protection of law just as all members of the community do,” he said. Age, previous criminal history and the nature of the crime against the individual are all taken into consideration when an inmate requests protection from fellow inmates, according to Richard Schmitz, communications special assistant for the Department of Corrections. “Individuals that are a danger to society are put in jail, and individuals in jail who are in danger to other prisoners are put in segregation. If a new crime was committed, for example, then the troopers will be contacted and there will be an investigation and an arrest,” he explained. Department of Corrections officials would not comment on the Syvinski case specifically as the attack in jail is still under investigation. They would also not talk about the unofficial code of conduct in prisons but did say that violent assaults are infrequent. |
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alaska69 said on Friday, Aug 19 at 2:13 PM
Oh well..........
72622741Darrel.Sr said on Wednesday, Aug 24 at 12:42 PM
They should allow the parents to spend an hour with this thing..
72859089just us said on Saturday, Aug 27 at 1:22 PM
he deserves everything he receives and needs to quit sniveling about it. worthless sob.
73011662castraitor said on Thursday, Sep 15 at 5:58 PM
they should stop protecting these punk's and worry about that 7 year old girl. Good for the inmates.
73892267TheDude said on Thursday, Sep 15 at 7:00 PM
So Homey is a Chester, and the victims got "Unkles" in da pen too. Not much depth to either of these gene pools.
73894998allrightythen said on Saturday, Sep 17 at 1:20 AM
"he slipped and fell several times"
73952197HE IS SCARED NOW? said on Tuesday, Dec 20 at 3:07 PM
So what? He deserves every beating he gets.Maybe he will think twice on beating up a helpless little girl.Jail justice is a good thing, our courts surly don't give it to perp. OH, boo hoo!!!
78737587mikey372002 said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 11:26 AM
sounds like robinson was smoking crack.
79779246dewan said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 12:45 PM
No one should be beaten in jail. We are not judges, God judges us according to our works on earth.
79784061Anonymous said on Tuesday, Jan 17 at 4:31 PM
I hope they beat the tar out of this guy!!!
80025382Anonymous said on Tuesday, Jan 24 at 12:49 AM
even prisioners have a code man...funny..too funny...
80309747Proud American said on Wednesday, Jun 6 at 3:38 PM
You Crybaby! You were pretty big when you beat and stole from Am-Marie, a mere child . There should be no protection for people like you ! How can you live with yourself ?You are sick and you shouldn't breathe anymore.
93067983jl1911 said on Monday, Dec 3 at 4:13 PM
byron ayvinski is an example of what a bully is.
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