NY Prison Guard Admits Providing Tools To Escaped Prisoners, Denies Knowing Escape Plan
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- After two arrests and 20 days, escaped prisoners David Sweat and Richard Matt continued to elude authorities who have devoted countless hours and resources to the manhunt.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, a second employee at the Clinton Correctional Facility – correction officer Gene Palmer, 57 – was arrested late Wednesday. He was accused of delivering tools such as a hacksaw to the inmates inside frozen meat, CBS2's Kenneth Craig reported.
Sweat and Matt escaped the prison in upstate Dannemora on June 6.
On Thursday, Palmer found himself not only charged with a serious crime, but also without an attorney. His defense attorney, Andrew Brockway, left the case.
"I'm a small town attorney in a small town," he said. "I simply don't have the resources to devote to this case."
Until he finds new counsel, Palmer's arraignment is postponed until next week. He also allegedly gave the men access to the catwalk area in the prison that became part of their escape route.
In a court document, Palmer claimed he was just letting the men access an electrical panel to make it easier for them to cook inside their cells. He told investigators he did not realize the men had plans to escape.
"He's a good individual," Brockway said. "I wish him well and I'm pulling for him."
Palmer is the second prison worker to be charged in the case.
Prison tailor shop employee Joyce Mitchell is accused of smuggling in tools inside frozen ground beef. Mitchell has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the case.
In a signed statement provided to authorities, Palmer admitted to providing Matt with paint and paintbrushes. On four separate occasions over eight months, he provided Sweat with needle-nose pliers and a screwdriver. He gave Sweat access to the catwalk later used in the escape to change the wiring on electrical boxes as ``a favor'' to make it easier for them to cook in their cells. A week before the escape, he delivered to Matt a pound of frozen ground beef in a package left by Mitchell.
"Matt provided me with elaborate paintings and information on the illegal acts that inmates were committing within the facility. In turn, I provided him with benefits such as paint, paintbrushes, movement of inmates, hamburger meat, altering of electrical boxes in the catwalk areas,'' Palmer told authorities.
But Brockway said Mitchell duped his client into giving the meat to the inmates.
"Mr. Palmer did not know that Joyce Mitchell had conned him into giving contraband to these two individuals," he said.
Prosecutors argue Palmer failed to screen the meat through a metal detector, violating prison policy, CBS2's Alice Gainer reported.
Court documents also say Palmer burned and buried paintings he received from the inmates.
As the manhunt drags on, authorities said mountainous terrain and weather have posed major challenges.
"We're going to be relentless until we capture these people," said State Police Maj. Charles Guess.
Police said Sweat and Matt may still be together or they may have split up.
State police said the escape so far has yielded more than 2,400 leads. The search for the men has taken investigators as far away as Allegheny County, near the Pennsylvania state line.
Currently, search efforts are being focused in Franklin County, primarily in the town of Bellmont, and near the town of Malone, state police said. DNA was found inside a hunting cabin in the Saranac Lake area that police said was linked to the two men.
Sweat, 35, was serving a life sentence without parole in the killing of a sheriff's deputy. Matt, who turned 49 Thursday, was doing 25 years to life in the kidnapping, torture and hacksaw dismemberment of his former boss.
Palmer, who has worked at the prison for 27 years and has been placed on administrative leave, is charged with promoting prison contraband, tampering with physical evidence and official misconduct. He is out on $25,000 bail.
Friday will mark three weeks since Matt and Sweat escaped. CBS2 will have a special investigative report on how the convicts could be eluding over 1,000 police officers.
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