A prison in central Illinois has been placed on lockdown while state officials investigate the assault of six employees by five inmates. The Pontiac Correctional Center is on lockdown following the incident Sunday and will remain on lockdown until the department has finished its investigation.

Lawyers for thousands of mentally ill Illinois prisoners say they have settled their class-action lawsuit against the state. They sued in 2007 alleging that substandard treatment constitutes "cruel and unusual
punishment.'' The agreement calls on the Department of Corrections to spend millions of dollars to build four new treatment units, including at the Pontiac prison.