LEGISLATORS: WHY DIDN'T PRISON ALARM WORK?

Senators Want Details On What Would Have Prevented The Escape

Some Iowa legislators Wednesday asked why an expensive high-tech
alarm system didn't prevent the escape of two dangerous inmates
Monday night from the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison.

The men remained at large Wednesday. Authorities said they had
received tips from the public about the fugitives possibly being seen
in Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis and New York City. But no
sightings were confirmed.

The missing inmates are Martin Shane Moon, 34, serving a life
sentence for a murder in Clarke County; and Robert Joseph Legendre,
27, who was serving a life sentence for attempted murder and
kidnapping in the state of Nevada. They escaped about 6 p.m. Monday
from the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison by using a
hand-fashioned rope with a metal hook to climb over a limestone
prison wall where a guard tower had been left unstaffed as a cost-cutting move.

Fred Scaletta, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Corrections,
declined Wednesday to say whether an electronic wire barrier was
operational at Fort Madison at the time of the escapes. The "taut
wire" system is installed on the inside of the wall surrounding the
institution. He said an investigation continued into the escapes.

The two convicts disappeared after working with a crew in a prison
industries building. At some point, they climbed atop the roof of a
building near the wall, and then succeeded in scaling the wall
without being noticed by correctional officers.

State Sen. Jeff Angelo, a Creston Republican who served on a prison
budget subcommittee when plans were approved for the reduction in
tower officers three years ago, said Wednesday he isn't ready to
restore around-the-clock staffing for all of Fort Madison's nine guard towers.

Angelo's subcommittee was assured in 2002 by then-Iowa Corrections
Director W.L. "Kip" Kautzky that escapes could be prevented by
spending $3.5 million to install the electronic barriers. The taut
wire fences have a number of high-tensile strength wires, usually
barbed, that are strung between anchor posts. Attempting to climb the
fence, spread the wires or cut them sounds a computerized alarm.

Kautzky received approval to install the equipment. The plan provided
savings of at least $1.5 million annually in operating costs by
eliminating a total of 38 correctional officers' positions in guard
towers at the three prisons.

Angelo said he expects lawmakers to ask some tough questions of state
prison officials.

"The question for me is, 'What failed in the system at this
particular point?' I want a full explanation of how the system worked
or did not work, and why were these guys in a position where they
were not spotted?" Angelo said.

State Sen. David Miller, a Fairfield Republican, has similar concerns.

"Nobody likes to admit it, but I am not sure that even if your towers
manned at those pre-existing levels that you wouldn't have an
occasional escape. But we need to know more of the details to know
what would have prevented it," Miller said.

Overall, Miller said it's his impression the electronic fences have
worked well for Iowa's prison system. He offered a vote of confidence
for Iowa Corrections Director Gary Maynard and other state prison
officials, saying, "Frankly, they are doing a yeoman's job with the
budget they have been given."

State Sen. Robert Dvorsky, a Coralville Democrat, said he wouldn't
rule out restoring some staffing in the prison towers. But he said
Maynard should first be consulted and the taut wire fence system
should be reviewed. Iowa also needs to study how it handles
maximum-security inmates assigned to prisons in Fort Madison, Anamosa
and Oakdale, he added.

Meanwhile, the manhunt for the two inmates continued.

Gene Meyer, director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation,
said it's not surprising that suspected sightings of the two inmates
are being reported in distant states, because of national media
attention given to the escapes.

Shortly after Monday's escape, a bicycle was stolen near the prison
and it was found in Fort Madison near the site of a car theft, said
Jim Saunders, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The 1995 gold Pontiac Bonneville with Iowa license plate 776 NOW has
not been recovered, and the fugitives may be traveling in the vehicle, he said.