LITTLE ROCK – Gov. Mike Beebe met privately Thursday with the head of the state prison system for the first time since a series of revelations about guards’ lapses, a fatal shooting and an escape by two convicted murderers.

The 30-minute meeting between Beebe and Norris took place behind closed doors at the governor’s office at the state Capitol, Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said. DeCample said no immediate changes in prison policy were ordered by the governor.

“Nothing has changed with director Norris,” DeCample said. “The governor still has confidence in him.”

A prison official said Norris left the office for the day and could not be reached. Dina Tyler, a prison spokeswoman, said she did not attend the meeting and didn’t know what was discussed.

DeCample described the meeting as the kind of typical sit-down talk that the governor holds with all of his department heads. However, in Norris’ case, it comes after state lawmakers called for a subpoena-powered inquiry into the state prison system, which houses about 15,000 inmates in 20 facilities.

In January, guards at the state’s Tucker Unit left a naked inmate covered in his own excrement for a weekend. Guards found the inmate unconscious the following Monday; the man nearly died from septic shock. An investigation into the incident also uncovered allegations that guards received lap dances from a nurse while on duty.

Two convicted murderers escaped the state’s Cummins Unit in late May after donning guard uniforms and walking out the front doors. Guards also recently shot to death a man they said tried to flee a contraband checkpoint outside the Tucker prison.

DeCample said Beebe continues to wait for investigations into the shooting death and the escape to be completed. The Arkansas State Police continues to investigate the escape, but turned over its case file on the shooting death to the local prosecutor, spokesman Bill Sadler said.

Prosecutor Steve Dalrymple said his office is reviewing the State Police report, and would announce soon whether they plan to file charges in the shooting.