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| Inmate caught before escape |
| By News Courier |
| Published: 07/22/2005 |
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A 46-year-old Limestone County (Ala.) Jail inmate apparently watched the movie "Escape from Alcatraz" starring Clint Eastwood because this week it was discovered that he too was planning a similar daring escape. "It could have been a major jail break, but our jail staff does a great job and one of our correctional officers discovered what was happening," said Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely. Herbert Cleatus Latham, of Reform, the same inmate who escaped late last year from the county jail annex on East Elm Street and stole a tractor-trailer truck, was attempting his escape this time by using a piece of metal to remove mortar from a block inside his jail cell. That is the same way Eastwood, who was playing Frank Morris, and two other inmates started their escape route from Alcatraz years ago. The only difference is they succeeded although all three apparently drowned in the choppy waters outside the prison. Their bodies were never recovered. "We had Latham in maximum security and he made a shank out of a piece of metal that we believe came from a knee brace that another prisoner wore when he was in jail here," said Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely. "That prisoner got out of jail a while back and apparently he did not take the knee brace with him." Latham, who was awaiting trial on a charge of manufacturing a controlled substance when he first escaped late last year, is now facing additional charges of second-degree escape, first-degree promoting prison contraband and destruction of state property. Latham was captured several weeks after his first escape. He was apprehended in California and later waived extradition and returned to Limestone County. Latham stole an 18-wheeler with a 30-foot lo-boy trailer after escaping last year. That truck was found abandoned on Dec. 30, 2004 in Columbus, Ga., the same day a 1993 pickup truck was reported stolen. The tractor-trailer truck was being used at the construction site of the new 911 building on Elm Street when it was stolen. |
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