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| Prosecutors find gunfire justified during Panhandle jail takeover |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 12/13/2004 |
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Bay County (Fla.) sheriff's deputies were justified when they fired the shots that ended a jail takeover, wounding a hostage and two inmates, prosecutors have determined. Also, an investigative report released last Tuesday confirmed the September standoff at the county jail began when a prisoner escaped from his cell because a broken lock had gone unfixed for weeks. Corrections Corporation of America, which operates the jail, has not yet received the final investigative report from state authorities, CCA spokeswoman Louise Chickering said last Wednesday from company headquarters in Nashville, Tenn. "We think there may be further information they are investigating," Chickering said. She added that the company last month committed to doing an audit of all locks as part of corrective measures it is taking in response to the takeover. Florida Department of Law Enforcement documents released by prosecutors indicate inmate James Norton slipped out of the cell with the malfunctioning lock, struck an officer, took his keys and freed other prisoners about 8 p.m. Sept. 5. The inmates held an officer and three nurses hostage during the 12-hour standoff before sheriff's Capt. Jimmy Stanford, who was negotiating with the prisoners, fired the first shot. Stanford said last Tuesday that he was convinced the situation was getting worse and fired at the legs of inmate Kevin Nix, who had his arms around nurse Ann Marie "Amy" Hunt. Nix had a scalpel to her neck and a syringe to her stomach, according to the FDLE report. Two sheriff's SWAT team members, Lt. Rad Nelson and Sgt. Tony Bruening, who were hiding in a room nearby, began shooting toward the inmates when they heard gunfire. A round from Bruening's gun hit Hunt in her left hip and kidney, according to the report. It said Hunt also was struck in her lower leg and back while Nix suffered a gunshot wound to his left shin. Norton was shot once in the lower left leg. Investigators were unable to positively identify the other two bullets that hit Hunt or the rounds that struck the inmates, but they wrote that a bullet found in Nix's clothing came from a .40-caliber Glock. Stanford was the only one who fired a Glock. The nurse and two inmates were treated for their injuries. State Attorney Jim Appleman wrote to the FDLE in a letter dated last Monday that the gunfire was justified and the officers violated no laws. |
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