Peter J. Costanza, a staff lawyer for Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services who represented Geoghan, said he did not request Geoghan's transfer to a specific facility, because court precedents have given correction officials near-total discretion over where prisoners are placed. But Costanza questioned why the officials chose to move Geoghan to a unit with some of the state's most dangerous offenders -- including the self-described neo-Nazi accused of strangling him Saturday.

We find this explanation implausible:

[Prison] officials say Geoghan was transferred from a medium-security prison in Concord to the protective unit at the maximum-security Souza-Baranowski Correctional Facility in Shirley because of such offenses as "insolence," disobeying guards' orders, and tampering with a hot plate in his cell.

Those kind of violations will get some privileges withheld, maybe some time alone, and maybe a transfer to a slightly more secure facility--but to protective custody in a maximum security prison? Problem conduct is one thing. Violent and overly aggressive conduct is another. Even if the transfer was initiated at Geohan's request, it was the prison department's duty to place him to a safe environment.

The Washington Post has an editorial on the case today, When Predator Becomes Prey.