Inmate’s Family Shocked to See Facebook Videos

(Memphis) The family of the inmate who posted videos to Facebook from prison is speaking out about the videos that have prompted an investigation into the prison system.

Thursday WREG broke the story that inmate Martez Wright was posting videos from prison onto Facebook. Friday, WREG’s Michele Reese showed the videos to his family.

It was the first time Eddie Sanders saw his nephew’s Facebook posts about life behind bars at the Shelby County Penal Farm.

“It’s messed up,” he said while watching the video.

He said he was surprised to see the video, but wasn’t as shocked to see his nephew Martez Wright smoking and hoarding food in his cell.

Sanders said he’s not sure how his nephew got hold of a cell phone to make these videos that have prompted the Shelby County Mayor to launch an internal investigation into the prison system.

Sanders said they need better supervision inside the prison so this type of behavior doesn’t go on, “Those guards need to be on their job.”

“What it comes down to is budget cuts have real consequences so what we have are fewer correctional officers so maintaining control becomes a broader challenge,” Chad Johnson said.  Johnson is the Executive Director of the Union that represents corrections officers at the prison where Wright is housed.

He said he’s heard complaints from officers that inmates get out of control, but says it’s a manpower issue.

“It’s not uncommon to have only one correctional officer for an entire block of almost a hundred prisoners,” he said.

“Well, they need to hire some more,” Sanders said he hopes the hires come soon.

As for his nephew he has this message for him, “He needs to quit it.”