Florida’s Prison Escape Plan

October 27, 2013

Even as the new Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger prison movie, “Escape Plan,” was making its way into theaters last weekend, Florida officials were dealing with a very real escape problem of their own. After apprehending a pair of fugitive murderers late Saturday, the state’s prison system was left dealing with the fallout this week.

With state lawmakers calling for an in-depth review of the escapes, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey said Tuesday several suspects have been “targeted” for helping two murderers escape from prison by using forged documents. But he added, “there is a way to go” in the investigation.

“There is still a lot we do not know and a lot we have yet to prove,” Bailey said during a news conference.

Bailey said the state is widening the scope of its investigation into how Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins, both sentenced to life sentences for murder, were able to get out of the Franklin Correctional Institution.

Bailey said authorities know of at least five other attempted escapes using the same method of faked documents, including two that were in process when discovered. One of the prior attempts was by Jenkins. The attempts have occurred at the Franklin Correctional and Gulf Correctional institutions and the Pinellas County Jail.

Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, who chairs the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, said he will hold a hearing on the escapes, which became national news.

Bailey said Tuesday he hopes to have new information to share before he goes in front of the Bradley’s panel in November to address the issues.

Meanwhile, FDLE and the Department of Corrections are also combing through several years of inmate records statewide to determine if other prisoners used fraudulent orders to con their way from behind bars.

On Monday, Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., issued an order that changes procedures for dealing with criminal-court documents to try to prevent any other inmates from making similar escapes.

Perry advised the Orange County and Osceola County clerks of court that “effective immediately” they must verify with a judge or judicial assistant that an order was issued before the clerk processes and transmits the order to the appropriate Department of Corrections facility.

by The News Service of Florida

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News