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Woman questioned over New York prison break amid sprawling manhunt Woman questioned over New York prison break amid sprawling manhunt
(about 2 hours later)
A woman has been questioned by investigators as a possible accomplice to the two murderers who escaped from a New York prison on Saturday, as police continue to pursue more than 300 leads in a sprawling manhunt for the killers.A woman has been questioned by investigators as a possible accomplice to the two murderers who escaped from a New York prison on Saturday, as police continue to pursue more than 300 leads in a sprawling manhunt for the killers.
Police on Tuesday confirmed media reports that a civilian employee at the prison was interrogated for her possible association with Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, the two criminals who staged an elaborate escape by tunnel, pipe and drill out of the Clinton correctional facility at the weekend.Police on Tuesday confirmed media reports that a civilian employee at the prison was interrogated for her possible association with Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, the two criminals who staged an elaborate escape by tunnel, pipe and drill out of the Clinton correctional facility at the weekend.
The woman is said to have worked in the tailor shop of the prison as an industrial training supervisor, but a spokesperson for the New York state police would not confirm her identity. The woman did not immediately respond to a call from the Guardian.The woman is said to have worked in the tailor shop of the prison as an industrial training supervisor, but a spokesperson for the New York state police would not confirm her identity. The woman did not immediately respond to a call from the Guardian.
“We’re still conducting interviews with prison and civilian employees,” said Beau Duffy, a spokesman for the state police. “We’re fully engaged in the search, and chasing down all the leads.”“We’re still conducting interviews with prison and civilian employees,” said Beau Duffy, a spokesman for the state police. “We’re fully engaged in the search, and chasing down all the leads.”
Related: New York prison break - how two murderers escapedRelated: New York prison break - how two murderers escaped
Hundreds of police officers and investigators are combing the region around the Dannemora prison, which stands less than 30 miles from the Canadian border and is surrounded by rocky, forested terrain. Matt and Sweat escaped by cutting through the steel wall of a cell into the prison’s guts of catwalks, piping, ventilation and electrical work.Hundreds of police officers and investigators are combing the region around the Dannemora prison, which stands less than 30 miles from the Canadian border and is surrounded by rocky, forested terrain. Matt and Sweat escaped by cutting through the steel wall of a cell into the prison’s guts of catwalks, piping, ventilation and electrical work.
They then cut their way into a steam pipe, through which they reached a sewer and eventually cracked their way out of a sealed manhole cover, escaping a block away from the prison’s perimeter.They then cut their way into a steam pipe, through which they reached a sewer and eventually cracked their way out of a sealed manhole cover, escaping a block away from the prison’s perimeter.
Throughout they dragged power tools along with them, and they left crude dummies in their beds to fool guards. They left their green prison clothes in the sewer, and a man who claims to have seen them on the night of the escape told investigators they carried what appeared to be a guitar case.Throughout they dragged power tools along with them, and they left crude dummies in their beds to fool guards. They left their green prison clothes in the sewer, and a man who claims to have seen them on the night of the escape told investigators they carried what appeared to be a guitar case.
New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said on Monday that he believed the prisoners had assistance, saying: “I don’t think they could have acquired the equipment they needed to do this without help.”New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said on Monday that he believed the prisoners had assistance, saying: “I don’t think they could have acquired the equipment they needed to do this without help.”
Cuomo said he would be “shocked” if a prison guard or official were found to have assisted the murderers, but said it appeared they had help from someone, perhaps a civilian contractor.Cuomo said he would be “shocked” if a prison guard or official were found to have assisted the murderers, but said it appeared they had help from someone, perhaps a civilian contractor.
A law enforcement source told CNN that the woman questioned knows Matt and Sweat “very well” and worked with them tailoring in the prison. She has not been charged or arrested.A law enforcement source told CNN that the woman questioned knows Matt and Sweat “very well” and worked with them tailoring in the prison. She has not been charged or arrested.
Investigators meanwhile told an NBC affiliate that they believed a getaway car failed to arrive on time or at all for the two escapees, prompting them to head out on foot to destinations unknown. Canadian and American customs and border officials have said they are on “heightened” alert, and police have said that Matt and Sweat could be “anywhere”.Investigators meanwhile told an NBC affiliate that they believed a getaway car failed to arrive on time or at all for the two escapees, prompting them to head out on foot to destinations unknown. Canadian and American customs and border officials have said they are on “heightened” alert, and police have said that Matt and Sweat could be “anywhere”.
Matt and Sweat lived in the “honor block” of the maximum security prison, in which prisoners receive extra liberties, such as wearing non-prison clothing and working in laundries or shops, in exchange for their record of good behavior. Both murderers had only one infraction each on their prison record during their time at Clinton.Matt and Sweat lived in the “honor block” of the maximum security prison, in which prisoners receive extra liberties, such as wearing non-prison clothing and working in laundries or shops, in exchange for their record of good behavior. Both murderers had only one infraction each on their prison record during their time at Clinton.
Working in the tailor or laundry outfit would not have given access to the power tools that Matt and Sweat used, but other contractors have been working on renovations to the ageing prison, which opened in 1845. Officials have said they are running an inventory of the prison’s tools, and most prisons, especially high-security ones, run ID checks and searches of all guards and civilians who enter the prison.Working in the tailor or laundry outfit would not have given access to the power tools that Matt and Sweat used, but other contractors have been working on renovations to the ageing prison, which opened in 1845. Officials have said they are running an inventory of the prison’s tools, and most prisons, especially high-security ones, run ID checks and searches of all guards and civilians who enter the prison.
Cuomo also questioned how it is that inmates claimed not to have seen or heard the suspicious sound of power tools cutting through steel, and joked: “They’re all heavy sleepers.”Cuomo also questioned how it is that inmates claimed not to have seen or heard the suspicious sound of power tools cutting through steel, and joked: “They’re all heavy sleepers.”
“Most inmates will snitch on other inmates,” said Terry Pelz, a former Texas warden and professor at the University of Houston Downtown. “So you have to question what the culture is there, what’s the relationship between the staff and inmates, to have everybody keep quiet.”“Most inmates will snitch on other inmates,” said Terry Pelz, a former Texas warden and professor at the University of Houston Downtown. “So you have to question what the culture is there, what’s the relationship between the staff and inmates, to have everybody keep quiet.”
Keramet Reiter, a professor of criminology at the University of California Irvine, emphasized that “not snitching is one of the first rules of ethics of the prisoners, but it’s hard to imagine that in a big prison like that someone who knew wouldn’t have tried to leverage that. I think this took a lot of planning and creativity.”Keramet Reiter, a professor of criminology at the University of California Irvine, emphasized that “not snitching is one of the first rules of ethics of the prisoners, but it’s hard to imagine that in a big prison like that someone who knew wouldn’t have tried to leverage that. I think this took a lot of planning and creativity.”
Former inmate Marty Tankleff, who spent a decade at Clinton correctional on a wrongful conviction, told a CBS affiliate that Matt and Sweat could have done work during the day.Former inmate Marty Tankleff, who spent a decade at Clinton correctional on a wrongful conviction, told a CBS affiliate that Matt and Sweat could have done work during the day.
“Individuals who have jobs such as masons or electricians or plumbers would have access to tools throughout the day that they would’ve signed out and they would have brought back in at the end of the day,” Tankleff said. “So the fact that all the tools are accounted for really means nothing.”“Individuals who have jobs such as masons or electricians or plumbers would have access to tools throughout the day that they would’ve signed out and they would have brought back in at the end of the day,” Tankleff said. “So the fact that all the tools are accounted for really means nothing.”
Tankleff suspected outside assistance based on the inmates’ surprising knowledge of the prison blueprints. “To gain the knowledge that they gained of the steam pipe system and everything else – somebody had to give them information,” he said.Tankleff suspected outside assistance based on the inmates’ surprising knowledge of the prison blueprints. “To gain the knowledge that they gained of the steam pipe system and everything else – somebody had to give them information,” he said.
Pattsburgh city councilor Paul O’Connell, who worked as a civilian employee at the prison for almost two decades, told the Watertown Daily Times that inmates could be “very manipulative”, but that employees received “great training” to resist them.Pattsburgh city councilor Paul O’Connell, who worked as a civilian employee at the prison for almost two decades, told the Watertown Daily Times that inmates could be “very manipulative”, but that employees received “great training” to resist them.
No action has been taken against any employees of the Civil Service Employees Association, said Stephen Madarasz, a spokesman for the organization that employs about 150 civilians at the Clinton prison.
“Police certainly have spoken with the vast majority of employees at the facility, but there have not been any actions taken as a result of those conversations,” Madarasz said.”Folks try to go in there and to do a job in a very stressful environment, and when something like this happens it really is difficult.”
“These interviews are just trying to get to the bottom of what happened, what went on, what’s normal or out of the ordinary,” he said. “You never know what could be useful.”Martin Horn, a former New York City commissioner of correction and probation and now a lecturer at John Jay College, also cautioned against speculation about accomplices. “It’s equally possible that they did not have help,” he said, citing the unaided escape of six inmates from a Pittsburgh prison in 1997.
“If they had the tools, then why not believe they had access to cellphones, which are like a plague in American prisons these days. And if they could get their hands on a tool and a phone, why not a weapon or plans” of the prison, Horn continued. “You have to always assume the worst and consider if one thing is true then others are equally possible.”
Horn said that civilian contractors may not have smuggled tools to inmates, but rather simply forgotten them, or that inmates on a plumbing or cleaning crew may have provided knowledge of the prison’s nooks and crannies in addition to supplies. Background checks may not be as thorough with contractors’ employees as with prison officials, he added. First and foremost he said prisoners should not be underestimated.
“The inmates are watching everything. If you’re planning an escape you’re going to be on your best behavior, you want to be the guy who never gives them a problem and lull the officers,” Horn said. “And you want to watch. They were on the top tier of a cell block – they know which officers do their rounds and which come in at night and put their feet up and nap. We know these things happen. Officers have been disciplined for these things for centuries, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise.”
Prison escapes remain exceedingly rare in the United States, despite the population comprising more than 1.5 million inmates. Experts say the majority of cases are more mundane “walk-offs” and probation violations rather than spectacular escapes.Prison escapes remain exceedingly rare in the United States, despite the population comprising more than 1.5 million inmates. Experts say the majority of cases are more mundane “walk-offs” and probation violations rather than spectacular escapes.
Matt was serving 25 years to life in prison for the kidnapping, murder and dismemberment of his former employer. Sweat was serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of a sheriff’s deputy in 2002.Matt was serving 25 years to life in prison for the kidnapping, murder and dismemberment of his former employer. Sweat was serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of a sheriff’s deputy in 2002.