According to the AZ Republic "The escape of three inmates from an Arizona prison will bring sweeping changes to the privately run facility near Kingman and could alter the way the state's prison system handles dangerous criminals in years to come."
John McCluskey, Tracy Province and Daniel Renwick escaped July 31 with help from Casslyn Welch. The Associated Press reported "Authorities say the accomplice to an Arizona fugitive was acting as a drug mule for white supremacists before she helped him escape from prison. Mohave County sheriff's spokeswoman Trish Carter said Friday that officials at the state prison in Kingman were randomly checking vehicles in the parking lot in June when they discovered marijuana and heroin in Casslyn Mae Welch's vehicle. Welch was visiting her fiance and cousin, John McCluskey, at the time. Welch wasn't immediately arrested while deputies investigated further. But she's now charged with six narcotics violations after being tied to the escape of McCluskey and two other inmates July 31. Authorities say Welch threw wire cutters over a prison fence to help the men get out."
Even the warden has resigned in disgrace. This is all too little, too late for the grieving friends and family of Gary and Linda Haas. McCluskey and Welch were sought in connection with the deaths of the Tecumseh, Oklahoma couple. Their bodies were discovered Aug. 4 in the charred remains of their RV near Santa Rosa, N.M. The dogs belonging to the couple were the only witnesses to the crime. They were found by investigators after spending two days in the desert.The Haas' truck was later found in Albuquerque.Yet our tax and spend Governor wants to shirk her duty to keep Arizonans safe by continuing to support private prisons!
"Gov. Jan Brewer has said that she remains confident in the ability of private prisons to house certain inmates but that only the "most serious" maximum-security offenders need to be held in public facilities."
Daniel Renwick was taken into custody after an early morning shoot out with police, ironically, in Rifle, Colorado. Renwick had been serving a 22-year sentence for second-degree murder
Tracy Province was apprehended in Meeteetse, Wyoming after being identified mowing the lawn of a community church in exchange for $40 and a jacket. Province was serving a life sentence for murder and robbery
White supremacists McCluskey and Welch were captured in a campground in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, only 300 miles from the prison after a three week manhunt that made them two of the most wanted fugitives in the nation.
When he escaped, McCluskey was serving a 15-year sentence for second-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm. "The state's method for determining which inmates are housed in minimum, medium and maximum levels was designed after the notorious 1978 escape from Florence of Gary Tison and Randy Greenawalt. Their escape led to a 13-day crime spree and eight deaths."
Does anyone still remember the family murdered near Quartzsite by the Tison gang?
Democrats appear to have have seized on the publicity by opposing private prisons with sudden enthusiasm. A savvy political maneuver, because Gov. Jan Brewer’s campaign chairman and policy adviser is also a lobbyist for the largest private prison company in the country. Perhaps it's because that same private prison company has the contact to incarcerate illegals rounded up by Brewer's SB1070? Caroline Isaacs from the American Friends Service Committee, which advocates for social justice issues, says "private prison companies have been buying influence in Arizona politics for years. The number of private prisons and jails operating across the state shows the result of that influence". See:"Brewer Linked To Private Prisons Housing Illegal Immigrants - New Questions Raised About Lobbyist Advice"
Democrats, just say no to Terry Goddard, who refused to investigate our corruption because of "budget" concerns! Republicans, say no to Brewer and everyone please, vote for Barry Hess!