PRISON AGENCY, FBI FAULTED IN '95 INMATE SUICIDE CASE

The Justice Department's inspector general faulted the Bureau of Prisons
and the FBI for a series of mistakes in the case of a 1995 inmate suicide
in Oklahoma City, according to a summary of the investigation released
yesterday.

The report by acting Inspector General Robert Ashbaugh concluded that
Kenneth Trentadue killed himself at the Federal Transfer Center, where he
was found hanging from a grate in his cell with a bedsheet around his neck.
But the report said the response by Bureau of Prison employees was
"significantly flawed."

"They inappropriately delayed entry into his cell, did not examine him
properly and did not immediately provide medical attention to him," the
report said.

It said the FBI devoted insufficient attention to the case for several
months, then mishandled and misplaced important evidence.

The report also concluded that three Bureau of Prisons employees and one
FBI employee lied about their actions to supervisors, investigators or the
inspector general's office.

Although the Justice Department's public integrity unit declined to bring
any charges for the false statements, the inspector general called it
"serious misconduct" and referred the matter to the FBI and Bureau of
Prisons for "appropriate action."

The full 206-page report has not been released.