A story in the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday, November 29, said that when the video was found, the Michigan State Police and state prison officials started an investigation. Inside the building, cell phones and cameras are not allowed.
At one point, the video shows one of the prisoners talking on a cell phone, which suggests that they may have had more than one. Authorities think that the video was shot in September, but it wasn't put online until recently, where it got close to 20,000 views before it was taken down.
"It's very dangerous to have phones in state prisons, especially ones that can connect to the internet," said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz. "They can be used to plan escapes, harass witnesses, or put "hits" on people inside or outside the prison."