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| Prison officer faces former captor in court |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 04/19/2005 |
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A prison officer who was held captive for 15 days by two inmates last year faced one of her of captors again Monday, giving sometimes-heated responses as he questioned her in court. Lois Fraley gave short answers and stared into the audience as inmate Ricky Wassenaar, who is acting as his own attorney during his trial, asked her detailed questions about her accusations that he sexually assaulted her. But she looked angrily at him after he asked her to read a transcript of an interview she did with an investigator. Wassenaar, who said before the trial that he would have Fraley "in shreds" during questioning, maintained an even tone during his cross-examination. The prison standoff began Jan. 18, 2004, after Wassenaar and another inmate, Steven Coy, overpowered officers and staff in the kitchen using makeshift knives. They tricked the second guard in the watchtower, Jason Auch, into letting them in. Auch was released after a week, but Fraley was held for 15 days in one of the longest U.S. prison hostage situations on record. Wassenaar is on trial on charges including kidnapping, assault and sexual assault. Fraley testified last week that Wassenaar sexually assaulted her within about an hour of the tower takeover. Wassenaar has acknowledged he stormed the tower but denies sexually assaulting Fraley. Wassenaar said at one point Monday that Fraley didn't appear to be afraid of him when he entered the tower, noting that she attacked him after he hit Auch in the face with a 3-foot metal paddle. "Yeah, I was scared of you, but I was going to take care of it if I could," said Fraley, who has gone public with the story of the sexual assault. While Fraley maintained her composure during the early part of the questioning, she became visibly more angry as it continued. At one point, she leaned forward in her chair, almost yelling at Wassenaar where he sat across the courtroom. Wassenaar jabbed back as he asked her why she initially told authorities that she was only sexually assaulted by Coy. "Are these your statements Ms. Fraley, or are you making it up as you go along?" he asked. Fraley did not directly respond. The prison standoff ended after authorities agreed to transfer Coy and Wassenaar to other states. Coy, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping, assault, sexual assault and other charges, is serving seven life terms in Maine. |
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