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New York prison break: residents on edge as manhunt offers few leads Cuomo says New York prison break convicts could be 'in Mexico by now'
(about 5 hours later)
Related: 'They could be long gone:' tiny clues but vast scale in hunt for escaped murderersRelated: 'They could be long gone:' tiny clues but vast scale in hunt for escaped murderers
Residents in rural New York, unaccustomed to locking their doors day or night, were on edge on Sunday as the manhunt for two killers who cut themselves free from a maximum-security prison with power tools stretched into a ninth day. Two convicted murderers who used power tools to cut their way out of a prison near the Canadian border could be nearby or “in Mexico by now,” New York governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday.
More than 800 law enforcement officers in the search for David Sweat and Richard Matt scoured the fields and Adirondack woods several miles around the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora near the Canadian border. The intense manhunt focused on the fields and Adirondack woods near the prison in upstate New York, after the inmates’ escape was apparently hampered by a prison employee’s decision to back out as their getaway driver nine days ago.
The search continued to focus on the area surrounding the prison, after the jail worker accused of helping the men escape backed out of a plan that could have had the men hundreds of miles away, a prosecutor said. The inmates, David Sweat and Richard Matt, planned to have the now-jailed prison worker drive them about seven hours away to an unknown destination, district attorney Andrew Wylie told CNN. But prison tailor shop instructor Joyce Mitchell backed out of the plan at the last minute, Wylie said.
The now-jailed prison worker had planned to pick the men up after they cut themselves out of the prison and drive about seven hours to an unknown destination, district attorney Andrew Wylie told CNN. But prison tailor shop instructor Joyce Mitchell backed out of the plan at the last minute.
“One of the reasons that she didn’t show up was because she did love her husband and didn’t want to do this to him,” Wylie said.“One of the reasons that she didn’t show up was because she did love her husband and didn’t want to do this to him,” Wylie said.
Searchers continued to focus on an area east of the prison, which is about 20 miles from the Canadian border. Even as hundreds of law enforcement workers stalked the rural area, about 20 miles from Canada, Cuomo said it was unclear if the men were still nearby.
“We don’t know if they are still in the area or if they’re in Mexico by now,” Cuomo said in response to a question at a news conference in the New York City suburbs.
Roads on the western edge of Plattsburgh were open only to local traffic and a state police helicopter was parked in a field where 24 hours earlier a contingent of 40 officers had marched into the adjacent woods on yet another grid search.Roads on the western edge of Plattsburgh were open only to local traffic and a state police helicopter was parked in a field where 24 hours earlier a contingent of 40 officers had marched into the adjacent woods on yet another grid search.
While many local residents remained locked in their homes at the advice of authorities, the outpouring of appreciation for the search effort continued. A restaurant was urging people to tie blue ribbons around trees and mailboxes.While many local residents remained locked in their homes at the advice of authorities, the outpouring of appreciation for the search effort continued. A restaurant was urging people to tie blue ribbons around trees and mailboxes.
“The locals have been awesome,” said Sergeant Barry Cartier of the Franklin County sheriff’s department, part of a crew from a neighboring county working 12-hour shifts. “They come around with food all the time. We’ve got too much to eat.” “The locals have been awesome,” said Sergeant Barry Cartier of the Franklin County sheriff’s department, part of a crew from a neighbouring county working 12-hour shifts. “They come around with food all the time. We’ve got too much to eat.”
But residents were very much on edge, with some saying they were keeping firearms handy just in case. Both men are considered extremely dangerous.But residents were very much on edge, with some saying they were keeping firearms handy just in case. Both men are considered extremely dangerous.
Sweat was serving a life sentence for killing a sheriff’s deputy. Matt was serving 25 years to life for the 1997 kidnap, torture and hacksaw dismemberment of his 76-year-old former boss.Sweat was serving a life sentence for killing a sheriff’s deputy. Matt was serving 25 years to life for the 1997 kidnap, torture and hacksaw dismemberment of his 76-year-old former boss.
The men used power tools to cut through the back of their cells, shimmied down a six-story catwalk, broke through a brick wall then cut into a steam pipe they used to reach a manhole outside the prison walls.
Related: New York prison break - how two murderers escapedRelated: New York prison break - how two murderers escaped
Mitchell, 51, was arraigned on Friday on a felony charge of promoting prison contraband and a misdemeanor count of criminal facilitation. She is accused of befriending the 34-year-old Sweat and 48-year-old Matt and smuggling in hacksaw blades, chisels, a punch and a screwdriver bit to help the men escape. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. The men used power tools to cut through the back of their cells, shimmied down a six-story catwalk, broke through a brick wall then cut into a steam pipe they used to reach a manhole outside the prison walls.
Mitchell’s daughter-in-law, Paige Mitchell, has said her mother-in-law never mentioned Sweat, Matt or any other inmates she encountered. Mitchell, 51, was arraigned on Friday on a felony charge of promoting prison contraband and a misdemeanour count of criminal facilitation. She is accused of befriending Sweat, 35, and Matt, 48, and smuggling in hacksaw blades, chisels, a punch and a screwdriver bit to help the men escape. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.
“She doesn’t get too involved,” Paige Mitchell told the Press-Republican of Plattsburgh. Mitchell’s son Tobey told NBC that she would not have helped the inmates escape.
Mitchell’s son Tobey told NBC she would not have helped the inmates escape. Cuomo said there would be “zero tolerance” for any assistance the escapees may have received.
“If an employee was facilitating or an accomplice to this escape, they will be fully prosecuted,” Cuomo said.