Pregnant prison inmate hospitalized for delivery

Monday, Jan. 12, 2004 | 10:50 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Korinda Martin, the inmate who allegedly was impregnated by a guard at the women's prison in North Las Vegas, was taken to a hospital today in Carson City for delivery of her baby.

Glen Whorton, assistant director of the state Department of Corrections, said Martin was transferred from the prison's regional medical center to Carson Tahoe Hospital to await the birth of her child.

In a lawsuit that she filed, Martin named former correctional officer Randy Easter as the father. She sued him, Corrections Corp. of America, which operates the Southern Nevada Women's Facility, the state Department of Corrections and Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Whorton said DNA tests will be conducted when the baby is born to determine the father.

Criminal charges may be brought against both Martin and the father of the baby of violating the law that prohibits sex in the prisons, he said. The law says a prisoner who is in custody who voluntarily engages in sexual conduct with another person is guilty of a felony. So is anyone who has sex with a prisoner.

Many female inmates have babies while in prison but those women are pregnant before arriving in prison, Whorton said.