A very gruesome murder trial is taking place in federal court in Denver. The defendants are cousins and maximum security inmates at Florence who allegedly killed their cellmate, cut out his body organs and held them up to guards to taunt them — and to warn other inmates not to snitch them out. The aftermath of the murder was videotaped by guards. This is the first federal death penalty trial in Colorado since that of Timothy McVeigh.

[William] Sablan’s attorneys have said in court filings they will pursue an insanity defense. Jury selection is expected to take up to two weeks before U.S. District Judge Wiley Daniel. The trial is scheduled to last four months.

This happened in the maximum security, special housing unit of Florence. Why were three inmates allowed to be together in the first place?