Administrative building at the Northern State Correctional Facility Credit: Vermont Department of Corrections
The Vermont Department of Corrections placed the leaders of a state prison in Newport on administrative leave Friday, according to Commissioner Mike Touchette.

Superintendent Joshua Rutherford and assistant superintendent Scott Martin of the Northern State Correctional Facility were both relieved of command, Touchette said.

“I cannot comment on specifics, but a credible report was made that warrants further assessment,” Touchette told Seven Days in a written statement. He did not immediately return a call seeking additional comment.

The moves come during a time of turmoil for the Department of Corrections. Last week, Seven Days published an investigation of another state prison, the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, revealing a pattern of misconduct and retaliation. In response, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith removed the South Burlington women’s prison from the department’s
chain of command and assumed operational control of it.

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Touchette remains in charge of the state’s five prisons for men, including Northern State. 

Greg Hale, the superintendent at Northwest State Correctional Facility in Swanton, will serve as interim superintendent at the Newport prison, Touchette said. Hale, in turn, will be temporarily replaced in Swanton by his two assistant superintendents.

This story will be updated.

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Paul Heintz was part of the Seven Days news team from 2012 to 2020. He served as political editor and wrote the "Fair Game" political column before becoming a staff writer.

8 replies on “Newport Prison Leaders Placed on Leave”

  1. It seems the problems get worse. Rutherford should have been investigated 10 years ago at Southern State. It’s time to clean house at DOC. Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, all directors – they all need to go. Newport has had its share of problems over the years and once again… everybody knew but did nothing. When is the Governor and legislature going to wake up and take action. The time is now…actually it was about 10 years ago but this is the result of mismanagement and a failure to supervise. The state of DOC is beyond pale. I’m really surprised other administrators at Newport weren’t relieved of duty… but I’m sure it’s coming.

  2. Hmmmmmm, look at all that’s been alleged at women’s prison, and Stone and her assistant are still in the job. Have to guess whatever is eating Newport is worse, #amiright?

  3. Bennington’s town manager keeps making hefty payments to VCI, which uses prisoners in the Newport facility to make furniture for Bennington Town Hall and the Bennington PD — $15,000 so far this year — even though the town has so many talented carpenters including talented students in the Career Development Center. These students have gone to rebuild homes in Puerto Rico yet the town manager doesn’t think they’re good enough to build a few wood counters and credenzas — and 54 dollar pencil holders made of oak — right here at home.

  4. I know those 2 asshole’s from Newport and more have got to go! The majority of the guards treat the prisoners like scum and are always mocking them! The whole DOC needs to be overhauled..

  5. I had the pleasure of speaking to Rutherford this week and the inmate that died in the Newport Jail, my husband has been in the infirmary since he arrived there. Lets just say what I reported to the Governors office to prisoners Rights , and gone as to taping the conversation of Rutherford and I Tipped this. My family member witness the death , and i Over heard the nurses they didn’t believe the inmate told him to lay down i heard him gasping for air he said he needs to go hospital. It was my family member and another inmate that looked on him at 2:15 am . The staff had no idea he passed. My family member has not been given the right meds for his heart , diabetes and blood pressure. I was told of the dirty correctional officer in there . in visitation . I email the case worker all she needed. They retaliated against my husband for what he witness while over heard the man dying and I also have conversation taped from Rutherford and a nurse practitioner yelling at the top of lungs to my husband. I tapped her my family member told her and also said I would be calling the Governors office her comment was” I don’t Care what she does”. I reached out to u heintz about what was happening i left you my name and number

  6. The State Of Vermont is so corrupt , and they will lie and manipulate there own system to work for them and not for the people. There is so much more information I have taped conversations , emails .
    I reached out to you Mr. Heintz about this , I left you some information , now there’s plenty more. I did make many calls to the prisoners Rights and spoke with a investigator and calls to the Governors office to a person named David , liaison to DOC.
    Its something else when Rutherford says that they do not retaliate, but 10 min later my family member was shipped , and it had nothing to do with medical, It all had to do with what he witnessed and heard, and I was on the phone many many times, with him. All calls are taped. My husband told Rutherford that there is big problems in there.

  7. Jackthes…. not sure if it could be worse, probably Touchette trying to save his job by showing he’s “tough” and suspended them before the Secretary of AHS could suspend Stone and others at Chittenden. Menard must have seen it coming and retired at the right time. I think the legislature needs to hold some special hearings and start at the top taking action and don’t stop until they’ve drained the swamp that is Vermont Corrections.

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