|
|
| Key not found on inmate until 2nd search |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/23/2004 |
|
Even after an inmate surrendered following a 15-day standoff with authorities, he had a handcuff key taped to the bottom of his foot, and authorities failed to find it during two searches. The key wasn't discovered until Ricky Wassenaar was being taken into a federal prison, according to an investigative report released Feb. 12 by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Wassenaar and a fellow inmate, Steven Coy, took two correctional officers hostage on Jan. 18 and held them in an officer tower at Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis. One officer was released Jan. 24. The other was released when the inmates surrendered Feb. 1. Arizona Department of Corrections officers pat searched the inmates at the base of the tower when they came out. The search, one of three, was meant to make sure they didn't have weapons before they were transported into federal custody. "You wouldn't find something as small as a cuff key during the searches we did," Ivan Bartos, a spokesman for the corrections department, said. "It was the plan all along to take them as quickly as we could to get them to a strip search area, where the Bureau of Prisons took custody." After he was transported, Wassenaar was escorted to an area where he removed his clothing. Photographs were taken of each piece of clothing as he undressed. Investigators also photographed his body. Wassenaar was then dressed in prison clothing, restrained and escorted away by federal officials. After arriving at the federal prison, officials discovered the key taped to the bottom of his left foot. It was not immediately clear whether the key could be used in multiple kinds of handcuffs, Bartos said. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
Login to let us know what you think