Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
HANDCUFFED TO a bed and hobbled by a broken leg, a high-risk prisoner on a charge for breaches of the Firearms Act managed to escape from the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James early Sunday morning, although he was supposed to be under police guard. The Gleaner understands that the prisoner, 26-year-old Richard 'Blacks' Walters, of Salt Spring, St. James, was being treated for a broken leg at the institution and, up to press time, was reportedly still on the lam from the authorities broken leg and all.
This latest incident is another in a long list of ignominious incidents that have tarnished the reputation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Investigations are under way to ascertain just how the prisoner escaped.
"The prisoners are normally kept in the general area with everyone else, and they may or may not be handcuffed," a reliable source said. "Usually, there are two plain clothes policemen assigned, but they usually stay by the nurses' station.
UNDER INVESTIGATION
Responding to the question of whether Walter's escape was indeed a security breach, commanding officer for the St. James Police Division, Superintendent Warren Clarke, said: "The matter is under investigation, it is early days yet."
Officials at the Cornwall Regional Hospital remained tight-lipped on the incident. Everton Anderson, chief executive officer at the hospital was quite guarded in his response to the incident.
"I would really prefer if you speak to the police. (It) is a direct police issue, because they had police officers guarding the prisoner," said Mr. Anderson before adding that he had "not got a formal report as to what happened as yet."
Walters, who is renowned in both Salt Spring, St. James and Brompton, St. Elizabeth, was housed on the fifth floor of the hospital where he was handcuffed to a bed and put under police watch. Hospital sources said about 2:30 a.m. Walters broke the bed rail and escaped.
