Angola's Burl Cain: Still Working Or Retired?

Nathan Burl Cain is the former warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola. He resigned from his position in 2016 after 21 years of service amid allegations of improper use of corrections workers for home renovations. Despite the allegations, Cain was cleared of any wrongdoing by three separate investigations. He is currently the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Burl Cain resigned from his role at Angola in 2016

Burl Cain resigned from his role as warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in 2016. Cain had been warden at Angola for twenty-one years, since 1995, and was the longest-serving warden in the prison's history.

Cain's resignation came amid allegations about his private real-estate dealings, which were investigated by the state legislative auditor and the state Department of Public Safety & Corrections. The capital city newspaper, The Baton Rouge Advocate, claimed that Cain sold interests in land he owned to developers who were family members or friends of Angola inmates.

Cain denied any wrongdoing and was ultimately cleared of the charges. However, a separate report from the state legislative auditor in 2017 claimed that Cain had obtained appliances, furnishings, and lodging at the penitentiary for his relatives. Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc said that Cain was "personally liable" for the costs and that the department may seek restitution.

Cain attributed his resignation to a report by The Advocate that questioned his religious beliefs, stating that he knew it was time to step down when his religious beliefs were called into question. He also said that he felt he was being creative and thinking outside the box in his approach to his duties as warden, and that he never doubted he would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Cain's resignation from Angola was followed by his appointment as the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections in 2020.

Cain was cleared of ethics breaches following investigations by two Louisiana state agencies

Burl Cain resigned from his position as warden of Angola Prison in 2016 following allegations of improper use of corrections workers for home renovations. He was cleared of any wrongdoing by three separate investigations. Two of these were by Louisiana state agencies: the state's Inspector General's Office and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The investigations were prompted by accusations of ethics breaches by a local newspaper, The Advocate, in the fall of 2016. The allegations emerged as newly elected Governor John Bel Edwards was preparing to take office. Cain resigned in the midst of the turmoil, and Edwards subsequently called for reviews, giving the appearance of guilt.

Cain, however, did not blame Edwards for requesting the inquiries. Instead, he attributed the accusations to political motivations and the influence of a legislator who was a political foe. He claimed that he was protected by his civil service status, but the governor used the leverage of not reappointing his long-time friend and colleague, Jimmy LeBlanc, as a tactic to get him to resign.

Cain's resignation came at a cost, as he stated:

> "It cost me my job, it cost me a lot of money, it cost me a lot of chaos for my family because we had to move and so forth, and it cost me my reputation."

Despite the challenges, Cain never doubted he would be cleared of the charges and expressed his gratitude to those who supported him throughout the process, especially the Louisiana Baptists. He also looked forward to new opportunities in prison administration and continuing his work in prison reform and moral rehabilitation.

Cain's resignation came amid allegations about his private real estate dealings

Burl Cain resigned from his position as warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in 2016, amid allegations about his private real estate dealings.

Cain had been working on a subdivision project in West Feliciana Parish, near his home in Jackson. He had amassed over 150 acres of land for the project, for which he paid over $2.1 million. He entered into business partnerships with two men who had close ties with state inmates, despite Department of Public Safety and Corrections policies designed to limit relationships between prison officials and relatives and friends of the offenders they oversee.

One of the businessmen, William Ourso, was a friend of an inmate named Leonard "Lenny" Nicholas. The other, Charles Chatelain, was the stepfather of an inmate, Jason Lormand, who was serving a life sentence for an execution-style double murder.

Cain sold two large chunks of his land to Ourso in September 2007. Two weeks later, he provided an unusual boost to Ourso's friend, Nicholas, by coaxing a deathbed confession from another prisoner, who claimed he was responsible for the murder for which Nicholas was serving a life sentence. This confession was used in an unsuccessful appeal orchestrated and partially funded by Ourso.

In 2009, Ourso bought Cain out of the project, taking over its debts of over $1 million. Around the same time, Cain sold a two-thirds share in his personal 30-acre parcel to a company presided over by Chatelain. This company agreed to handle all of Cain's debt related to the land for the next five years.

In 2014, Cain and the company sold the land that Cain had purchased for $435,000, about $25,000 less than what he had paid for it seven years earlier.

The state legislative auditor and the state Department of Public Safety & Corrections began investigations into the issue. In May 2016, Cain was exonerated of any wrongdoing with respect to using his employees to perform home renovations. However, in January 2017, a separate report from the office of the state legislative auditor, Daryl G. Purpera, revealed that some ten correctional department employees had performed work on Cain's private residence while on official duty. The report also alleged that Cain had obtained appliances, furnishings, food, and lodging at the penitentiary for his relatives, mainly his children.

Cain discounted the findings of the Purpera report, saying that it had misinterpreted his "creative" approach to handling his duties as warden. He claimed that he had transformed the Angola Prison Rodeo into a self-sustaining facility, resulting in a financial windfall for the state. He also stated that he had authorized the construction of five new chapels with privately raised funds.

Ultimately, Cain was cleared by the Daryl Purpera investigation and by another probe conducted by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. He maintained that he had never doubted he would be cleared because he had stolen nothing and had only "thought outside the box" to bring needed changes to the penitentiary.

Cain's salary was $167,211 per year, $30,000 higher than that of James LeBlanc, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Corrections

Nathan Burl Cain, born in July 1942, served as the warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, West Feliciana Parish, from January 1995 until his resignation in 2016. During his tenure, Cain's salary was $167,211 per year, which was $30,000 higher than that of James LeBlanc, the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Corrections. This salary discrepancy brought attention, especially considering LeBlanc was a previous subordinate and personal friend of Cain.

Cain's high salary and prominent position placed him under intense scrutiny, and his tenure became marred by controversy. Accusations of improper real estate dealings and ethical concerns regarding his private business transactions with individuals connected to inmates surfaced. These allegations prompted criminal investigations and media exposés, ultimately leading to his resignation.

Despite the controversies, Cain left a significant mark on the prison. He implemented a Christian religious environment, where inmates who adhered to the faith were rewarded, and those who did not were punished. He also established a television station and supported newsmagazine and radio operations within the prison. Additionally, Cain created a prison-run hospice program and took steps to address issues such as gang violence and illiteracy among inmates.

Cain's approach to prison management was highly disputed. While he claimed that violent incidents decreased during his time as warden, critics alleged that he created a religiously exclusive environment and engaged in unethical practices. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of hindering a Mormon inmate's access to religious texts and allowing the harassment of a Catholic inmate on death row.

In the end, Cain's legacy at Angola is complex. While he implemented reforms and reduced violence, he also faced allegations of corruption and cruelty. His resignation and subsequent investigations brought his controversial practices to light, and he continues to be a polarizing figure in the world of corrections and prison management.

Cain was warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, the nation's largest maximum-security prison by landmass

Nathan Burl Cain was the warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, the nation's largest maximum-security prison by landmass, from 1995 until his resignation in 2016. Located in West Feliciana Parish, the prison sits on 18,000 acres of land and houses 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff, including corrections officers, janitors, maintenance workers, and wardens.

Angola is known for its brutal conditions and history of violence. Before Cain's tenure, the prison was dubbed "'the bloodiest prison in America,'" with stabbings, beatings, and killings commonplace. Cain implemented a series of reforms aimed at reducing violence and improving conditions. He introduced an exclusively Christian religious environment, where inmates who adhered to the faith were rewarded and those who did not were punished. He also established a television station and supported newsmagazines and radio at the prison, increasing media access.

Cain's tenure as warden of Angola was not without controversy. In 2016, he resigned amid allegations of improper use of corrections workers for home renovations and real estate dealings with individuals connected to inmates. While three separate investigations cleared him of any wrongdoing, his methods and policies while warden were highly disputed.

Despite the controversies, Cain is credited with transforming Angola and reducing violent incidents during his time as warden. He became the most famous warden in U.S. history and is now the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, tasked with reforming another notorious prison, the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.

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