|
|
| New Questions About City Jailbreaks |
| By stlouis.cbslocal.com - Kevin Killeen |
| Published: 09/26/2011 |
|
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Alderman are questioning whether the Slay Administration is attempting to make the city’s top jailer the fall guy for a series of jailbreaks, which leaked memos suggest were related to budget cuts the top jailer had long opposed. The stack of memos, purporting to be from suspended Corrections Commissioner Gene Stubblefield, chronicle his struggle with higher-ups in the Slay Administration to fill vacant positions Stubblefield argued were essential to jail security. A memo from Stubblefield to Public Safety Director Charles Bryson dated April 4, 2011 warned: “I am concerned because corrections has lost numerous managers and supervisors over the years due to budget cuts. We have a major public safety responsiblity and jails can become a dangerous place to live and work without an appropriate managerial staffing pattern.” The authenticity of the memos, which were provided to KMOX by a source who asked to remain anonymous, is not being disputed by the Slay Administration. Several aldermen expressed concern that the memos suggest the Slay Administration is rushing to blame the suspended Corrections Commissioner for an escape problem that may be rooted in the city’s fiscal crisis. “Stubblefield may be a sacrificial lamb, taking a fall, for something that through the e-mails he tried to warn,” said Alderman Gregory Carter, Chairman of the Public Safety Committee. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed says the memos raise new questions about whether Stubblefield was the villain or the victim. “With the recent prison breaks, it’s looking less and less like it’s an issue with Stubblefield,” Reed said, “What we’re seeing is other things may have been happening to prevent him from putting a workable system in place, budget cuts and things of that nature.” Alderman Antonio French says the memos put some of the blame for recent escapes with the city’s top elected official. “Where does the responsibility lie? Ultimately, it lies with the mayor,” French said, “All of these people answer to the mayor. So, for Mr. Bryson (the Public Safety Director) to be making Mr. Stubblefield the fall guy, it just doesn’t fly.” Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think