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| Fla. officers demoted for failures in prison murder |
| By Sarasota Herald-Tribune |
| Published: 01/26/2004 |
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The Florida Department of Corrections released an internal report last week that said officers at Charlotte Correctional Institution in Punta Gorda ignored numerous safety policies the night a female officer was killed. The 12-page report, issued by the DOC's Office of the Inspector General, said another officer should have been with Darla Lathrem as she supervised a five-inmate work crew the night of June 11. Lathrem, 38, was the first female officer killed inside a Florida prison. Members of the crew reportedly stashed her body in a locked closet before trying to break out of the maximum-security prison. Three prisoners, Dwight T. Eaglin, Michael Jones and Stephen V. Smith, are each charged with two counts of murder. Besides Lathrem, the three men are charged with killing a fellow member of the work squad. Charles Fuston died several days later from head injuries he sustained that night. Three officers, including the prison's former assistant warden, were demoted as a result of the report's conclusions. Bill Boyett, the former assistant warden, is now a sergeant at Brevard Correctional Institution. Capt. Jody Davis and Lt. Rick Orzechowski were both made sergeants. Both men have since moved to other Florida prisons. The state's investigation also found that "there was no monitoring of the construction project beyond the normal duty hours to ensure that manpower was being utilized properly," DOC spokesman Sterling Ivey said. The report also found: - Policies that require all officers to wear a body alarm went unenforced. The devices alert others at the prison when an officer is down - Inmates were not placed in restraints when moved. - Staff failed to ensure two officers were present during construction in dormitories. - Prohibitions about use of keys and dangerous tools were not followed. Security checks to enforce the policies were never made. The State Attorney's Office has yet to announce whether the state will pursue the death penalty in the case. All three prisoners have pleaded not guilty. |
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