Associated Press, Jan. 24, 2008 AUSTIN - A key senator said Thursday that staff shortages led to conditions that allowed a Texas prison inmate to die. "I think there's enough blame to go around," Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire. Dr. Ben Raimer, the head of correctional managed health care at UTMB, defended prison medical staff. He pointed to a 50 percent shortage of physicians working in the prison system, an 18 percent shortage of medical practitioners and an 18 percent vacancy rate for nurses. (This and similar stories appeared widely in state and national media.)