Otis Bowen
On Labor Day weekend in September 1973, Governor Bowen declared amnesty for a group of inmates that took hostages and rioted at the Indiana State Prison. Although his decision to give "blanket amnesty" was a controversial one, it proved to be the correct decision as all the hostages, who were not only guards, but also a few select inmates who were otherwise weak and preyed upon, were released without harm. The guards who were subsequently released after a short meeting took place between the leaders of the riot and Governor Bowen in front of b-block....the inmate negotiation took only a few minutes between the governor and a group of inmates led by one Thomas D Brown (ISP#37151) serving 10 years for armed robbery, and was compelling enough to cause Gov. Bowen to declare a successful "blanket amnesty".