Arizona Corrections Department appealing workplace safety fine in prison teacher rape case

Published May 03, 2016

FILE - This Jan. 30, 2014 photo from the Arizona Department of Corrections, shows Jacob Harvey, accused of attacking a state prison teacher in Florence, Ariz. The Arizona Department of Corrections is appealing a large fine state workplace safety regulators levied against the department for failing to protect a teacher who was raped by Harvey an inmate a prison unit that holds 1,300 sex offenders in Florence. (AP Photo/Arizona Department of Corrections,File) (The Associated Press)

Arizona prison officials are appealing a large fine state workplace safety regulators levied against the Corrections Department for failing to protect a teacher who was raped by an inmate.

The appeal filed last week seeks a hearing before an administrative law judge to overturn the $14,000 penalty issued by the Industrial Commission of Arizona.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show commissioners greatly boosted the fine their inspector recommended at a hearing last month. One said the workplace-safety violations their inspectors found showed the rape "should never have occurred in this facility."

The teacher was attacked by a convicted rapist in January 2014 and is suing top officials at the Eyman prison in Florence for failing to protect her. A federal judge allowed that lawsuit to proceed on Thursday.

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/arizona-corrections-department-appealing-workplace-safety-fine-in-prison-teacher-rape-case