[Southsider2k12]

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/sbt-f...0,2001317.story

For 3rd time in 6 weeks, LaPorte County Jail releases wrong inmate

WSBT-TV Report

5:55 p.m. EST, March 7, 2012

The LaPorte County Jail released the wrong inmate again.

Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer says last Tuesday Jervon Martin was released because of a paperwork mistake. He was being held for Missouri police on drug and resisting police charges.

Jail officials didn't realize Martin was gone until Missouri police arrived six days later to pick him up.

He has not been found.

This is the third time in six weeks the jail has released the wrong inmate. The sheriff says all three incidents happened because jail staff didn't follow procedure.

A supervisor has been fired and another demoted because of the mistakes.

[Ang]

Seems to me we elected the wrong guy......this is crazy. What is going on at that place?

[Southsider2k12]

That's a great question. It is something that can't be allowed to happen.

[eric.hanke]

That's a great question. It is something that can't be allowed to happen.

What a mess.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...82c916cadd.html

Inmate accidentally released from LaPorte County Jail

By Stan Maddux Times Correspondent | Posted: Thursday, March 8, 2012

LAPORTE | A LaPorte County Jail officer has been fired after the third offender since late January was accidentally released.

LaPorte County Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer blamed overcrowding for the oversights in the jail.

''We are understaffed and overpopulated,'' said Mollenhauer, adding the jail population has been consistently above 400 for months with a high of nearly 500 in late 2011. The jail has 368 beds.

According to police, Jervon Miller was being held on drug and resisting law enforcement charges out of St. Louis. On Feb. 28, Mollenhauer said there was a mistake in paperwork that resulted in Miller being set free.

Six days later, authorities from Missouri showed up to take Miller back to their state to face charges. That's when jail officers first discovered Miller had been released. Miller is still at large and believed to be in the St. Louis area, police said.

On Jan. 26, Kevin Coleman, of Michigan City, was released by mistake when the name of another inmate was called and Coleman stepped forward posing as that offender.

Johnnie Kirkwood, also of Michigan City, was let out Feb. 12 after being confused with another inmate with the same last name.

Both of those inmates were apprehended in Michigan City within hours and returned to the jail.

Mollenhauer said a female jail supervisor with nine years of experience was fired over the latest incident. The previous mistake resulted in another supervisor being demoted and suspended for five days and a jail officer in training receiving a one-day suspension and written reprimand.

Mollenhauer said all jail booking officers were required to undergo retraining after the second accidental release. He said unless more jailers are hired or the number of offenders goes down another accidental release of an offender could happen.

''We're doing everything possible to make sure that error does not happen again. It's inexcusable and it will not be tolerated,'' Mollenhauer said.

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...l#ixzz1odhvgMrx

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...68274058001.txt

Third inmate released by mistake by county jail

By Matt Fritz
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, March 8, 2012 5:07 PM CST
LA PORTE — A third inmate was released by mistake from the La Porte County Jail.

And he's still at large.

Jervon Martin of St. Louis was being held on drug charges and resisting law enforcement charges for the St. Louis Police Department when he was released from custody on Feb. 28 due to a paperwork mistake.

According to a press release from the La Porte County Sheriff's Department, the error was not discovered until officials from the St. Louis Police Department arrived to pick up Martin on March 5.

Click here to find out more!
Martin is believed to be in the St. Louis area. He is the third inmate released by mistake from the jail in the last five weeks.

On Jan. 26, inmate Kevin Coleman was released from custody after identifying himself as another inmate. Later, Johnnie Kirkwood was released from custody on Feb. 12 after being confused with another inmate with the same last name. Both inmates were subsequently located and taken back into custody within an hour and a half of release.

According to the press release, all three incidents occurred due to jail staff failing to follow proper procedure. All three incidents occurred on the same operations shift. Three employees have been disciplined as a result.

One supervisor has been terminated while another supervisor was suspended then demoted to the rank of jailer. A third officer received a written reprimand for the incidents.

Sheriff Michael Mollenhauer said the terminated supervisor was punished for the Jan. 26 and Feb. 28 releases. The demotion was in connection to the Feb. 12 incident.

All booking officers have also been required to attend supplemental training on the subject of releasing inmates.

Mollenhauer said factors contributing to these incidents have been the understaffing and overpopulation of the jail, and the staff being overworked.

"I'm not making excuses," he said. "It's unfortunate, but we're not going to tolerate it either."