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New York prison break: worker charged as manhunt intensifies New York prison break: worker charged as manhunt intensifies
(about 5 hours later)
The hunt for two murderers who fled a high-security prison in upstate New York entered its eighth day on Saturday, hours after a woman accused of supplying some of the tools that allowed them to cut through their cell walls appeared in court to plead not guilty to helping them escape.The hunt for two murderers who fled a high-security prison in upstate New York entered its eighth day on Saturday, hours after a woman accused of supplying some of the tools that allowed them to cut through their cell walls appeared in court to plead not guilty to helping them escape.
Prison worker Joyce Mitchell, 51, stood in handcuffs and looked dazed during the short hearing late on Friday in city court in Plattsburgh, at which her attorney entered the plea on her behalf and a judge sent her back to jail to await another hearing on Monday.Prison worker Joyce Mitchell, 51, stood in handcuffs and looked dazed during the short hearing late on Friday in city court in Plattsburgh, at which her attorney entered the plea on her behalf and a judge sent her back to jail to await another hearing on Monday.
Meanwhile, New York state police searching for the inmates, Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, have asked authorities 2,000 miles away in Texas to be on the lookout, fearing Sweat might attempt to contact family members living there or slip into Mexico, where he reportedly has ties to a drug cartel after serving time in prison there a decade ago. On Saturday, Mitchell was transferred from the Clinton correctional facility in Dannemora, where she worked as an industrial training supervisor, to Rensselaer County Jail to the south near Albany.
At a press conference on Friday night, the most recent update provided to the media, Major Charles Guess of the New York state police said that if the convicts were still close to the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, from which they escaped early on 6 June, they would be dealing with the same poor weather conditions that were hampering the search. Clinton County sheriff David Favro told Plattsburgh’s Press-Republican newspaper it seemed wise to move Mitchell away from the prison where she worked while the search was underway.
“There a lot of staff with family and friends involved, and we thought it best to have the least amount of distractions,” he said.
Meanwhile, New York state police searching for the inmates, Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, asked authorities 2,000 miles away in Texas to be on the lookout, fearing Sweat might attempt to contact family members living there or slip into Mexico, where he reportedly has ties to a drug cartel after serving time in prison there a decade ago.
At a press conference on Friday night, the most recent update provided to the media, Major Charles Guess of the New York state police said that if the convicts were still close to the Clinton correctional facility in Dannemora, from which they escaped early on 6 June, they would be dealing with the same poor weather conditions that were hampering the search.
“They’ve got to be cold, wet, tired and hungry, if they haven’t escaped the area or found shelter,” he said.“They’ve got to be cold, wet, tired and hungry, if they haven’t escaped the area or found shelter,” he said.
With more than 800 law enforcement personnel involved in the hunt in New York state alone, Guess warned the pair that the net was closing.With more than 800 law enforcement personnel involved in the hunt in New York state alone, Guess warned the pair that the net was closing.
“We are coming for you, and we will not stop until you are caught,” he said.“We are coming for you, and we will not stop until you are caught,” he said.
The arrest of Mitchell, who worked as a tailor at the prison, and who is believed to have formed a close friendship with the two inmates stretching back more than a year, is the only concrete development so far in a case that has paralysed the local community for a week.The arrest of Mitchell, who worked as a tailor at the prison, and who is believed to have formed a close friendship with the two inmates stretching back more than a year, is the only concrete development so far in a case that has paralysed the local community for a week.
Portrayed by Guess as “one large piece of the puzzle in our quest to find these two escaped murderers”, Mitchell faces a sentence of up to eight years if convicted of a felony charge of promoting prison contraband and a misdemeanor charge of criminal facilitation.Portrayed by Guess as “one large piece of the puzzle in our quest to find these two escaped murderers”, Mitchell faces a sentence of up to eight years if convicted of a felony charge of promoting prison contraband and a misdemeanor charge of criminal facilitation.
Andrew Wylie, the district attorney handling her case, said the charges related to a hacksaw blade, chisels, screwdrivers and a punch allegedly taken from the prison workshop and handed to the pair. The “contraband”, he said, did not include power tools that the two also used in their escape.Andrew Wylie, the district attorney handling her case, said the charges related to a hacksaw blade, chisels, screwdrivers and a punch allegedly taken from the prison workshop and handed to the pair. The “contraband”, he said, did not include power tools that the two also used in their escape.
Guess said the investigation at the facility was not centered solely on Mitchell, and that other persons working there were also being looked into. They included Mitchell’s husband Lyle, he said.Guess said the investigation at the facility was not centered solely on Mitchell, and that other persons working there were also being looked into. They included Mitchell’s husband Lyle, he said.
Wylie said earlier that Mitchell, who has worked at the prison since 2008, had been the subject of an investigation by the New York corrections department after complaints that she had an improper relationship with one of the inmates.Wylie said earlier that Mitchell, who has worked at the prison since 2008, had been the subject of an investigation by the New York corrections department after complaints that she had an improper relationship with one of the inmates.
He said there was insufficient evidence for disciplinary action but added that Sweat, who is serving a life sentence for the 2002 murder of a sheriff’s deputy, was suspended from the prison tailor’s shop run by Mitchell.He said there was insufficient evidence for disciplinary action but added that Sweat, who is serving a life sentence for the 2002 murder of a sheriff’s deputy, was suspended from the prison tailor’s shop run by Mitchell.
“I don’t believe that the information was there was absolutely no relationship,” Wylie said.“I don’t believe that the information was there was absolutely no relationship,” Wylie said.
The complaint led to suspicion falling on Mitchell, and Wylie said she had been extremely cooperative in talking to investigators between the time she checked herself into hospital complaining of a panic attack last weekend and Friday, when she was charged.The complaint led to suspicion falling on Mitchell, and Wylie said she had been extremely cooperative in talking to investigators between the time she checked herself into hospital complaining of a panic attack last weekend and Friday, when she was charged.
There has been no definite sighting of the escaped men despite several false alarms over the past week, an intense search of the area east of the prison and a report on Thursday that sniffer dogs had picked up the scent of at least one of them.There has been no definite sighting of the escaped men despite several false alarms over the past week, an intense search of the area east of the prison and a report on Thursday that sniffer dogs had picked up the scent of at least one of them.
A report by a Plattsburgh resident on Friday that they had spotted two suspicious men climbing a wall also came to nothing.A report by a Plattsburgh resident on Friday that they had spotted two suspicious men climbing a wall also came to nothing.
“We do not have any conclusive evidence that either of the inmates has left this area,” Guess said.“We do not have any conclusive evidence that either of the inmates has left this area,” Guess said.
Matt, however, has an aunt living in Texas, and there has been speculation that he maintained ties with other inmates with whom he served time in prison in Mexico before he was transferred to custody in New York, where he was convicted seven years ago of the brutal 1997 murder of a businessman. Matt has a large “Mexico Forever” tattoo on his back.Matt, however, has an aunt living in Texas, and there has been speculation that he maintained ties with other inmates with whom he served time in prison in Mexico before he was transferred to custody in New York, where he was convicted seven years ago of the brutal 1997 murder of a businessman. Matt has a large “Mexico Forever” tattoo on his back.
Meanwhile, residents of Dannemora and Plattsburgh, two towns close to the Canadian border, are continuing to live with the consequences of the search: helicopters constantly buzzing overhead and a near-lockdown of their local community, including numerous roadblocks and the closure of schools.Meanwhile, residents of Dannemora and Plattsburgh, two towns close to the Canadian border, are continuing to live with the consequences of the search: helicopters constantly buzzing overhead and a near-lockdown of their local community, including numerous roadblocks and the closure of schools.
One woman told the Albany Times-Union she was cautious every time she went out, but that the presence of hundreds of law enforcement officers meant she was not afraid.One woman told the Albany Times-Union she was cautious every time she went out, but that the presence of hundreds of law enforcement officers meant she was not afraid.