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A warden faced discipline over abuse at a prison. Now he runs a prison training site

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A warden faced discipline over abuse at a prison. Now he runs a prison training site

Collage by Marci Suela/The Marshall Project. Source images: LinkedIn, João Vítor, via Unsplash; Heather Green, via Unsplash; David Greedy/Getty Images; and JASON CONNOLLY/AFP, via Getty Images

A warden who oversaw a culture of abuse at two different federal prisons has a new job — running a national training academy for the Bureau of Prisons.

Andrew Ciolli was in charge of the penitentiary at Thomson in Illinois for one year before he moved to lead an even larger and more high-profile prison complex in Florence, Colo. An internal investigation by the Bureau of Prisons conducted last spring found that some staff at Florence used excessive force in violation of policy, and Ciolli, as warden, should have stopped it — but didn’t. Investigators referred him for disciplinary action. But he’s now landed a role as the director of the bureau’s Management and Specialty Training Center, which provides leadership training and specialized instruction across the agency.

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“Historically, when a warden is disciplined for misconduct, they aren’t reassigned as a director of anything, let alone a training center,” said Thomas Bergami, who succeeded Ciolli as warden at Thomson before retiring last year.

Reporters reached out to Ciolli at a bureau email address for his new position. An unsigned response to that email declined to comment and referred reporters to the bureau’s Office of Public Affairs.

In a statement, Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Carl Bailey confirmed that Ciolli oversees the day-to-day operations at the training center, but said he “does not provide or oversee training.” Responsibility for the training “rests exclusively with subject matter experts, who operate independently of Mr. Ciolli’s oversight,” Bailey wrote.

He added that “allegations of employee misconduct are taken seriously,” and that the bureau “fully cooperates” with watchdog agencies “to bring to justice those who abuse the public trust.”

After a two-decade career rising through the ranks at the Bureau of Prisons, Ciolli became warden at Thomson in February 2021. An investigation by NPR and The Marshall Project exposed how during his tenure, three people were killed and dozens more alleged in lawsuits and interviews that they suffered serious mistreatment. Many incarcerated people described being shackled for hours or days at a time without access to food or a bathroom. The restraints were so tight, they often left scars on people’s wrists, stomachs and ankles that prisoners nicknamed the “Thomson tattoo.”

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According to Bureau of Prisons policy, restraints should only be used on someone who is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others or causing serious property damage. While staff can temporarily apply restraints, a warden must approve their continued use.

When Bergami took over the facility from Ciolli in 2022, he discovered an “enormous problem with inmate abuse,” he said in an interview last year. The Bureau of Prisons shut down a high-security unit at Thomson in 2023, citing “significant concerns with respect to institutional culture and compliance with BOP policies.”

In 2023, bureau Director Colette Peters testified before Congress that multiple Thomson staffers had been referred for administrative and criminal investigation for their roles in abusing prisoners. She did not name the employees. The bureau declined to comment on the status of those investigations.

After Ciolli left Thomson in 2022, Bureau of Prisons officials reassigned him to run the even bigger complex in Florence, with a $20,000 raise, according to the bureau. The job included overseeing a medium-security prison, a high-security penitentiary and the Supermax — which houses some of the country’s most notorious prisoners in single-cell solitary confinement.

A staffer at Florence becomes a whistleblower

But the recent federal investigation revealed that similar patterns of mistreatment found at Thomson, such as the excessive use of restraints, followed Ciolli to Florence. Last spring, a staffer at Florence who was tasked with investigating employee misconduct reported that officers were routinely using restraints on prisoners who did not meet the criteria for such treatment, according to a letter he wrote to federal officials. “All inmates were behind a secure door, no immediate threat to staff existed, and no actual disruptive behavior was observed from any inmate that would have placed a staff member in danger,” the whistleblower wrote to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that handles such complaints.

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The names of Ciolli and other Florence officials are redacted in investigative records obtained by NPR and The Marshall Project. But their job titles and descriptions are included, and two people with knowledge of the investigation confirmed their identities.

Investigators with the Bureau of Prisons’ Office of Internal Affairs reviewed video footage collected over nearly nine months at Florence penitentiary and found multiple instances of employees using force against prisoners who were “compliant, under control, and not a threat to staff or others,” according to a letter from the Office of Special Counsel to President Joe Biden.

Michael Antonio Thompson said he was restrained three times during the roughly 18 months he spent at Florence penitentiary, much of it while Ciolli was warden. Thompson was once left in cuffs for over 10 hours, he said. Officers “used to pepper spray me for nothing, hold me in chains for a whole bunch of hours,” he said in a phone interview. “Some people will put you in chains and put the handcuffs real tight until your hands turn blue and they swell up like baseball gloves.” He was released from prison in 2023.

Bailey, the bureau spokesperson, declined to comment on Thompson’s experience, for “privacy, safety and security reasons.”

The Bureau of Prisons’ internal investigation found the overuse of restraints at Florence was part of a broader program known as the High Visibility Watch Program, records from the whistleblower investigation show. The program targeted prisoners who were accused of masturbating in front of officers. Guards were instructed to fire pepper spray into their cells, force them into restraints and escort them to solitary confinement — whether or not they posed an immediate threat, investigators found. Those prisoners were then labeled with a yellow card around their neck.

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These measures posed a “significant threat” to those in the program, the whistleblower wrote, “as inmates who engage in masturbation in a prison setting are prone to extortion, rape or assault from fellow inmates.” The Office of Internal Affairs found the program violated bureau policy, the office’s records show.

Several other employees moved from Thomson to Florence around the time of Ciolli’s departure in 2022, including Associate Warden David Altizer. According to the investigation by the bureau’s Office of Internal Affairs, staff members reported that Altizer and Ciolli called officers into a meeting after they arrived at Florence and instructed them to implement the watch program. The whistleblower told investigators that Altizer and Ciolli said “they had conducted a similar program at another location, and it was successful.”

When asked by investigators, Ciolli denied involvement and said he “could not remember” telling staff about the program, according to the bureau’s Office of Internal Affairs. Altizer was not interviewed in the inquiry, because he went on long-term medical leave shortly after the investigation began, according to documents from the investigation. Investigators concluded that at the very least, Ciolli was “responsible for providing managerial oversight and was accountable for determining policy” of the complex.

Altizer did not reply to requests for comment.

The whistleblower wrote in a separate letter to the Office of Special Counsel that a third official at the complex was involved in implementing the program. That person was cleared by the investigation and not referred for disciplinary action, and instead was promoted to warden of another prison complex.

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This investigation was referred to several federal agencies, ultimately resulting in a report from the Office of Special Counsel to Biden explaining that most of the whistleblower’s allegations were true.

Both Altizer and Ciolli were referred for discipline, but neither was fired from the agency. Altizer retired in April. Ciolli began his new position with the training center in July, according to his LinkedIn profile and an internal bureau announcement. He lost his status as a senior executive in the agency and took a $3,350 pay cut, according to an email from the Bureau of Prisons.

After a string of scandals in the bureau, Congress has moved to increase oversight of the agency. This summer, Biden signed a law that would create a new ombudsman position in the Justice Department and require regular inspections of facilities with higher risk of mistreatment.

After the whistleblower report from Florence, the bureau also updated its use-of-force policy for the first time in a decade. It now explicitly states zero tolerance for excessive force, and that misconduct could result in criminal prosecution. It mandates de-escalation training and states that employees have an “affirmative duty to intervene” if they witness colleagues applying excessive force.

The policy now makes plain: Restraints may not be used for punishment, or “in any manner which restricts blood circulation” or “causes unnecessary physical pain or extreme discomfort.”

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Christie Thompson and Beth Schwartzapfel report for The Marshall Project.

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ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

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ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes”.

The move is a dramatic escalation of legal proceedings over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, and marks the first time that the court, which was set up in 2002, has issued a warrant for a western-backed leader.

It means that the ICC’s 124 member states — which include most European and Latin American countries and many in Africa and Asia — would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they entered their territory. But the court has no means of enforcing the warrants if they do not.

The warrants, however, will reinforce the sense that Israel has become increasingly isolated internationally over the conduct of its war against Hamas in the besieged Gaza strip.

Announcing the decision on Thursday, the court said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”.

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It said there were reasonable grounds to believe the pair bear criminal responsibility “for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population”, and had “intentionally and knowingly deprived” Gaza’s civilians of food, water, medical supplies, fuel and electricity.

The court said it had unanimously decided to reject Israel’s appeal against the ICC’s jurisdiction. Neither Israel nor its largest ally the US are members of the court.

The Israeli prime minister’s office branded the warrants “antisemitic” and said Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and charges against it”, calling the ICC “a biased and discriminatory political body”.

“No anti-Israel resolution will prevent the state of Israel from protecting its citizens,” it said. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not give in to pressure, will not flinch and will not retreat until all the war goals set by Israel . . . are achieved.”

Palestinian officials welcomed the ICC’s announcement. Husam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said the warrants were “not only a step towards accountability and justice in Palestine but also a step to restore the credibility of the rules-based international order”. Hamas called on the court to expand the warrants to other Israeli officials.

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Yoav Gallant at an observation post overseeing southern Lebanon last month © Ariel Hermoni/GPO/dpa
Mohammed Deif
The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, who Israel in August said it had killed © Israel Defense Forces

The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif for crimes against humanity and war crimes over the militant group’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel said in August it had killed Deif in an air strike in Gaza a month earlier.

In the US, figures from both the Biden White House and incoming Republican administration condemned the warrants. The White House said it “fundamentally rejects” the ICC’s decision.

“We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision,” said the US National Security Council.

Mike Waltz, who will serve as national security adviser when Donald Trump’s administration takes office next year, said the ICC had “no credibility”. “You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC and UN come January,” he wrote on X.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, called for fresh sanctions against the court. Trump’s previous administration imposed sanctions on top ICC officials, including then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, over its probe into allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan. The Biden administration later lifted them.

“The court is a dangerous joke. It is now time for the US Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body,” Graham said.

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Republicans will control all three branches of government next year, raising the likelihood that the US will bring in new sanctions against the ICC.

However, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said the warrants were not political, and that the court’s decision should be respected and implemented.

The Dutch foreign minister, Caspar Veldkamp, said the Netherlands “will act on the arrest warrants”, but other European countries struck a more equivocal line.

A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “we respect the independence of the International Criminal Court” and added: “There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hizbollah, which are terrorist organisations.”

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan originally sought the warrants in May for Netanyahu, Gallant, Deif and two other Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, both of whom Israel has since killed.

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The ICC’s move comes as Israel faces intense criticism over the toll of its offensive in Gaza.

The hostilities began when Hamas militants stormed into Israel in October 2023, rampaging through communities, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials, and taking another 250 hostage.

In response, Israel launched a ferocious assault on Gaza, with Gallant announcing a “complete siege” of the strip. Israel’s offensive has killed almost 44,000 people, according to Palestinian officials, displaced 1.9mn of the enclave’s 2.3mn inhabitants and reduced most of it to rubble.

The UN and aid agencies have criticised Israel for restricting the delivery of aid, while warning of the threat of famine and disease.

The fighting has also triggered legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice, which deals with cases against countries.

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That court, the highest in the UN system, is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel has vehemently denied.

Additional reporting by Anna Gross

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This year's FAFSA is officially open. Early review says it's 'a piece of cake'

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This year's FAFSA is officially open. Early review says it's 'a piece of cake'

After weeks of testing the application, the U.S. Department of Education released this cycle’s FAFSA form on Thursday.

Seth Wenig/AP


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Seth Wenig/AP

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open to all students and families hoping to get help paying for college in the 2025-26 school year.

After weeks of testing the online form, the U.S. Department of Education released the official application at studentaid.gov on Thursday. The form may not look new, but it’s certainly improved compared to last year’s version.

“It’s a piece of cake, honestly,” says Christina Martinez, a financial aid advisor at California State University, Los Angeles. She has been helping students fill out the form during the testing period, and says, “It’s been going very smoothly.”

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That’s completely different from what students experienced during the last FAFSA cycle:

After a congressionally mandated overhaul intended to simplify the form, the FAFSA was significantly delayed and the rollout was plagued with problems. As a result, many students had to wait months longer than usual to learn what college would cost them and where they could afford to enroll, forcing many to delay their decisions. There’s concern some students decided to put off college altogether. A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that problems with the last FAFSA “contributed to about 9 percent fewer high school seniors and other first time applicants submitting a FAFSA, with the largest declines among lower-income students.”

MorraLee Keller, of the college access nonprofit National College Attainment Network (NCAN), says this year’s form looks almost identical to the one from last year, but the user experience is significantly improved.

“We really have to spread a very positive message that there’s been a lot of work put into this system for 2025-26 to make it a whole different experience than last year. So everyone needs to give the system a chance.”

What the Education Department is doing differently this time

Filling out the FAFSA is the only way college students can access financial aid from the federal government and be considered for grants, loans and some scholarships. Every year, more than 17 million students fill out the application.

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Typically, the form becomes available to all students on Oct. 1. But this year, that’s when the department began testing the form with a limited number of students and institutions. FAFSA Executive Advisor Jeremy Singer said in an August press release that the testing period was intended “to uncover and fix issues with the FAFSA form before the form is available to millions of students and their families.”

During the last FAFSA cycle, in addition to glitches in the form, students also struggled to reach FAFSA’s call center for help. According to the GAO, “nearly three quarters of all calls to the call center” went unanswered in the first five months of the rollout. This time around, the Department of Education has increased call center staffing – by nearly 80% since January – and plans to extend the center’s hours of operation.

“So far, the call center is doing very well,” U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal told NPR. “At the volume we’re at now, people are getting their calls answered very, very quickly.”

He warns there may be times when higher call volumes lead to wait times, but he’s confident it will be a smoother experience overall.

Beth Maglione, CEO and interim president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), says she has been keenly monitoring the department’s testing process, and is pleased with what she’s seen.

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“Federal leaders have sort of listened and taken to heart the lessons learned from last year’s troublesome rollout and have used those lessons to chart a more stable path forward.”

So far, a less painful process

Low-income students and students whose parent or spouse does not have a Social Security number (SSN) – which the GAO refers to as “mixed-status families” – suffered most from the previous FAFSA’s troubled rollout. One challenge for mixed-status families was a glitch that blocked anyone without an SSN from filling out the form.

Kvaal says, throughout the beta testing period, “We made a number of changes to make the process easier for parents and spouses who don’t have Social Security numbers. Those people are able to get through now, and that was not always possible six or eight months ago.”

At Cal State LA, where Christina Martinez works, the majority of students are low-income, and many come from mixed-status families. She says most of her students encountered problems with the form last year, but this year is a different story.

Martinez says the form has more instructive language that helps students avoid mistakes. On average, she says it’s taking students about 20 minutes to finish the form, although FAFSA’s website suggests allotting about an hour. (The website also includes a checklist for how to prepare for the application.)

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Keller, of NCAN, says while she’s thrilled about the improvements, she’s waiting to see how the new FAFSA system will respond to an increased volume of applications now that the form is officially out of beta testing and open to all families.

Keller has one piece of advice for students and families, which Martinez and Maglione echoed: Fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible.

“Let’s not wait. Jump in. Do your FAFSA as quickly as you can,” Keller says. “Hopefully students being able to start their FAFSA in mid-November is going to result in things like earlier award letters, more time to make decisions, better decisions.”

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Read the Verdict in the Civil Case Against Amber Guyger

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Read the Verdict in the Civil Case Against Amber Guyger

Case 3:18-cv-02862-M Document 256 Filed 11/20/24
Page 3 of 7 PageID 7099
3. Question 3: Compensatory Damages
What sum of money, if any, would compensate Plaintiffs for injuries they suffered as a result of
Defendant’s conduct?
Claims of Estate of Botham Jean
(a) Mental anguish experienced by Botham Jean
between the time he was shot and his death:
$
2,000,000
(b) Loss of net future earnings by Botham Jean:
$
5,500,000
(c) Loss of Botham Jean’s capacity to enjoy life:
2,750,000
Claims of Allison and Bertrum Jean
(a) The value of the loss of companionship and society
sustained from September 6, 2018, to today
to Allison Jean:
(b) The value of the loss of companionship and society
that, in reasonable probability, will be sustained from
today forward
to Allison Jean:
(c) The value of the mental anguish sustained from
September 6, 2018, to today
500,000
2,000,000
to Allison Jean:
(d) The value of the mental anguish that, in reasonable
probability, will be sustained from today forward
to Allison Jean:
3
$
6,000,000
5,700,000

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