JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) Commissioner Christopher Epps has announced the appointment of Ernest Lee as Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) in Parchman, effective May 1.
“Mr. Lee has the right skill set and temperament for this challenging job and I am confident he is the right person for this important assignment at MSP,” said Epps. “I appreciate his service.”
Lee’s record of service with the Department of Corrections dates back to 1981 when he joined the MDOC as a correctional officer trainee. Having held several key correctional administrator positions over the years, he has served as a correctional warden at all three of the state’s prisons at various times during the last 10 years.
Most recently, Lee served as a warden at the Mississippi State Penitentiary.
“I am grateful to Commissioner Epps for this opportunity and look forward to my new role,” said Lee. “I follow in the footsteps of great leadership.”
Lee, a native of Clarksdale, , holds a bachelor of business administration degree from Delta State University and an associate’s business degree from Coahoma Jr. College.
The Mississippi State Penitentiary is the state’s largest and oldest prison. Located on approximately 18,000 acres in Sunflower County, the facility has a capacity to house approximately 4,648 male offenders classified to all custody levels including Long Term Segregation and Death Row.
Lee will be responsible for the oversight and management of the Penitentiary and approximately 891 employees.
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