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| Jailer on leave after taking inmate to hotel |
| By Maryville Daily Times |
| Published: 07/28/2005 |
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A corporal at the Knox County (Tenn.) Jail accused of taking a female inmate from the Blount County Jail to an area hotel is now on administrative leave. Boyce E. Phipps, an employee of the Knox County Sheriff's Office since 1995, is accused of picking up a 27-year-old Blount County Jail inmate to drive her to a doctor's appointment. The 36-year-old Knox County deputy was off duty, not in uniform and driving his own vehicle. Later Phipps was seen taking the woman to a hotel. The woman -- Mary Elizabeth Wolfenbarger Martin -- is serving a sentence on a forgery conviction. She is a Tennessee Department of Correction inmate housed at the Blount County Jail under contract with TDOC. Sheriff James Berrong said Blount County Sheriff's Office policy allows jail inmates to seek medical care outside the facility that exceeds the minimal care the county is required to provide. Inmates who chose this option do so at their own expense and must meet certain criteria such as being a nonviolent offender. The policy also allows approved individuals to provide transportation for an inmate being furloughed for reasons such as medical appointments or funerals. Berrong said the policy relieves his office, and the taxpayers, of transportation costs. Martin was booked at the Blount County Jail in March and received her first furlough for a medical appointment on June 10. According to a statement released by Berrong, communication between Martin and the Knox County correction officer was intercepted, apparently alerting Blount County correction officers to a problem. The Knox County Sheriff's Office was notified and a joint investigation ensued. According to a Knox County Sheriff's Office press release, Knox County deputies were informed of Martin's next furlough for a doctor's appointment and were at the Blount County Jail on July 20. They saw Phipps pick up the Martin and travel to a doctor's office for her appointment. Then, instead of returning to the Blount County Jail, they drove to a hotel in Blount County. Knox County deputies contacted Blount County and a deputy went to the hotel, picked up Martin and took her back to the Blount County Jail. Knox County investigators then interviewed Phipps. ``Following the investigation, we turned the information over to Blount County District Attorney General Mike Flynn's office,'' Berrong said. ``At this time he feels that no charges are warranted. ``However, we are working with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Russ Dedrick, the FBI and TBI to make certain that no crime occurred.'' Meanwhile, Phipps is on administrative leave pending action by Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison and Martin is still serving her sentence at the Blount County Jail. |
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