Jailbreak Pair End Extradite Fight
An escaped inmate and his wife will return to Tennessee to face charges in the shooting of a corrections officer during a violent getaway from a courthouse, a judge ordered Friday.
George and Jennifer Hyatte originally fought extradition, which was sought by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, but halted their objections Friday.
"Do you wish to challenge the legality of the extradition warrant issued for you by the governor?" Common Pleas Court Judge Eric Brown asked George Hyatte during a 10-minute hearing in Columbus.
"Send me to Tennessee," the shackled and handcuffed inmate replied with a faint smile. Hyatte, 34, was serving a 41-year sentence for robbery and assault charges.
Jennifer Hyatte, 31, also said she did not want to contest the extradition warrant.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys said the couple likely would be sent back to Tennessee later Friday or Saturday.
Authorities accused Jennifer Hyatte of using a gun to ambush guards who were transporting her husband for a court appearance Aug. 9. Corrections officer Wayne Morgan, 56, was killed and Jennifer Hyatte was shot in the leg by a guard.
The couple was captured a day later at budget motel in Columbus after the cabbie who drove them to the city called police.
At each of the suspects' initial extradition hearing more than a week ago, George Hyatte seemed prepared to waive his right to challenge extradition — until his lawyer told him that his wife had decided to fight extradition.
"I don't want to leave without her,"
, who had on two sets of handcuffs chained tightly to his waist. "I don't want to. I don't want to."Earlier, the father of Jennifer Hyatte said he suspected the couple might be planning an escape and asked a Utah probation officer to alert authorities in Tennessee.
However, the information never reached Tennessee because it "didn't appear to raise any red flags," Utah Department of Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said Friday.
Floyd Forsyth said that in a phone conversation three weeks ago his daughter asked him if he "had any spare handcuff keys." She was expecting her husband to be released from prison soon and wanted to "handcuff him to the bed," Forsyth said.