Three Marion inmates remain housed in the Dallas County Jail awaiting transport to Marion, and nobody seems to know why.

According to Dallas County Chief Deputy Randy Pugh, Kendrick Bates, Lester Carr and John Washington were transported to Dallas County due to overcrowding in the Perry County Jail.

However, according to Perry County Sheriff James Hood, the jail is not overcrowded.

“Maximum occupancy is 28. We’ve got 19 at this time,” said Hood. “We don’t have a contract with Marion to hold inmates.”

Part of the reason may be due to the Perry County Jail’s purpose. According to Dorothy Smith, an administrative assistant with the Marion Police Department, the jail is intended to be a short-term holding facility and is not equipped for long-term inmates.

“It’s basically a holding tank for people until they get bonded out,” said Smith.

Dallas County Jail employees have not been entirely brought up to speed, either. A spokeswoman who wished to remain anonymous was uncertain of how or why the Marion inmates wound up in Selma.

“This is the first time we’ve held Marion inmates,” she said. “They just brought them over.”

Marion Police Chief Tony Buford could not be reached for comment.