CHEYENNE - The warden at the Wyoming State Penitentiary will assume the same position at the new prison currently under construction in Torrington.

State Department of Corrections Director Bob Lampert announced Thursday that Michael Murphy's new appointment will take effect in April.

The Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington is scheduled to open in early 2010 and will have a capacity of 700 inmates.

Murphy has been the warden at the state prison in Rawlins since 2006. Rawlins holds maximum-, medium- and minimum-security inmates. Its capacity is 630 inmates.

Murphy worked 28 years in Missouri's corrections department before joining the Rawlins prison in 2005 as associate warden of programs. He was promoted to warden in 2006.