Tuesday, August 03, 2010

THE CASE AGAINST CONFINING DANGEROUS CRIMINALS IN PRIVATE PRISONS

TWO OF THREE ESCAPED INMATES AT LARGE IN ARIZONA
Police believe the two remaining inmates have not left the state
 
Deseret Morning News
August 2, 2010
 
PHOENIX — The search continued Sunday for two convicted murderers who escaped from a private prison in northwest Arizona, while a third escaped convict was back behind bars following an early-morning shootout with police in western Colorado. Police believe the two who remain at large are still in Arizona.
 
Early Sunday, a police officer spotted Daniel Renwick, 36, in a brown sport utility vehicle in Rifle, Colo., some 670 miles from the medium-security Arizona State Prison in Golden Valley, said Charles Ryan, director of the Arizona Department of Corrections.
 
The officer pursued Renwick, gunshots were exchanged, and the convict was eventually taken into custody without anyone being injured, Ryan said.
 
Renwick had been serving a 22-year sentence for second-degree murder when he and the other two inmates escaped Friday evening by cutting a hole in the prison's perimeter fence. The men then kidnapped two semi-truck drivers at gunpoint and used the big rig to flee, authorities said.
 
Police said the two men who remain at large - Tracy Province, 42, and John McCluskey, 45 - should be considered dangerous.
 
Province was serving a life sentence for murder and robbery, and McCluskey was serving 15 years for second-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm.
 
The men are believed to be traveling with a woman suspected of helping in the escape, 44-year-old Casslyn Mae Welch.
 
According to Flagstaff police Sgt. James Jackson, at about 5 a.m. Saturday, the group kidnapped two drivers of a semi in Kingman and forced them at gunpoint to drive two hours east to Flagstaff. The group left the drivers, unharmed, in the truck at a stop just off Interstate 40 and then fled.
 
Police spent much of Saturday using helicopters and dogs to search for the men.
 
Ryan said Sunday the escape is under investigation. "We have great concerns that there was laxness on the part of security staff at this private prison, but I'm going to allow the investigation to run its course," said Ryan, who plans to meet with prison officials in the next day or two.

1 comment:

Hamm0ckjames said...

This is a perfect example of why we need to execute violent criminals. Eliminate the long long wait on Death Row by eliminating the criminals. This would remove the possibility of escape as well as the financial burden placed upon the tax payers. Not no mention the reduced need for so many prisons. And yes we know the Politicians won't allow this to happen. Why? Because criminals stick together!