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Show Ba The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH Sunday, Officials: McCotter Fought for Prisons BY JUDY FAHYS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Mel Brown had arrived at the Gunnison Prison on Friday after- McCotter left by his own choice, said Goy. Mike Leavitt in a Friday news conference announcing McCotter’s departure. Still, there were instances when noon when helearned about the resignation of Corrections De- lawmakersrefused to give McCot- partment Director O. Lane McCotter. The two were supposed “The Legislature has not always recognizedthe level of need ter what he wanted. gested four areas that especially need improvement tions Department's most public troubles in recent weeks. Many of these problems have cometo light of MichaelValent, a schizophren- ic who died after 16 hours shack- Leaders on Capitol Hill and in the law-enforcement community knew McCotter’s five years in the Corrections Department have been tough sometimes. Still, he had fought hard in recent months to win the money he said is neededto fight the prisons’ rections Department requested. “That had to be real hard for him,” said Kennard, whosaid he thought McCotter had done a goodjob.“He walked out of those hearingslike he had been dragged through a wringer.” Lt. Gov. Olene Walker said McCotter found himself struggling between two goals: meeting the budgetary limits of the Legislature and meeting the public’s vices — options that have been re- jected previously during McCotter’s tenure. have been emphasized in MeCotter’s dealings with the Legislature over the years. Ontheissueofofficer retention and recruitment, McCotter said the state needed to have outside assistance in finding a solution. He noted that most Corrections officers (80 percent) fall within the least experienced ranks of the fast turnover of employees, rapid Legislative session, McCotter ar- system in today’s society are endless because the public wants all the criminals locked up,” she On the subject of managing growth, McCotter noted that said. Meanwhile, the Corrections Department finds itself becoming the training ground for employees who moveon to higher-paying jobs in city and countyjails. State department a budget of more than $200 million. They injected salaries simply can’t keep up, she said. “The Legislature is a conserva- $19 million into programs for ju- tive body,” Walker added, “so venile offenders, which can now hire new probation offices and add a newjail. They camein just $5 million lower than the governor’s budget had recommended. Three Die In Midair Collision @ Continued from B-1 takeoff from Ogden before the Cessna crept underneath the Cherokee, witnesses said. Bill Aaronof WestPoint wasin his back yard about 12:40 p.m. when the planes collided. ‘The wing was broke right away, but then the tail tipped and it just shot down,” Aaronsaid. “‘Whenit hit the ground, it was fireball, like a mushroom cloud. At that point wejust lookedto see if anybody had bailed out, but I think the force was too great.” Some witnesses reported they saw the pilots “horsing around,” they haven’t been ableto fund the process as much as Lane would like.” In a report McCotter provided to the governor last week, he sug- system annually for the next few years. That means examining ways to makebetter use of space in the county andcityjails, as well as in federalfacilities, perhaps. The budgetwill continue to be a problem, he noted. That will makeit necessary for the Corrections Department to rethink its budget and to see if there are ways to implement the needed programs without spending too much. McCotter said he planned Bill Aaron with a wing partially bent, spun into a tight pirouette before heading “‘missle-like” to the ground. Just then, a handful of neighbors, some with household fire extinguishers, sprinted to the fully engulfed wreckage behind Kirkman’s barn andcorral. Kirkman and a friend joined them.‘People were throwing dirt on the fire, doing anything they could,” Kirkman said. “But there was nothing. Nothing you could do. Just nothing.” Within five minutes policeestimated there were nearly 100 people at the crash scene. “It was explanation. said. Rodda said as many as two oth- Crews from the Clinton Fire er planes were in the area. Those Department spent 15 minutes dousing the wreckage. Deceptive engineering was perhaps the most tragic flaw in the flight maneuvers, said Steve Groves, the director of flight training for Great Western Aviations, Inc, Groves, on duty at the Ogdenairport Saturday, was the first person to speak with Soren- sending out memos and doing a mock drill. That never happened,” countered Warnick.“I never talked to Hobby except for 30 seconds when he congratulated me when I got the “An escape for any reason on mywatchis unacceptable to gatehouse position.” dergo a polygraph examination, denied attending or hearing about any meetings in which risks associated with “I was devastated by it and do not know if I can ever recover ed a meeting where the milkerate information was dis- Warnick, who offered to un- euteone crates were dis- owe have 15 people who remember him at a meeting wherethey weretold about the security concerns,” Ford said. “He seems to have some memory lapses.” we can do it within the current budget.” McCotteris expected to continue to lead the departmentuntil a replacementis found andto prepare a strategic plan that can be used by the new director. Leavitt has appointed former House Speaker Nolan Karras to conduct the nationwide search. Even with the dramatic events of recent weeks, the lieutenant governorsaid she is not certain whether state lawmakers will ad- dress the problems the way McCotter suggests. Prisons always will have a tough fight son and Gary McArthur after the collision. Because the Cessna is a “high wing plane,” assembled with its wings above the crew cabin and Josh H. Josh, a 9-year-old, is a member of the Lowe Brule Sioux tribe. Josh has difficulty in school due to delays in math, reading, written language, phonics and motor skills. Josh does best with individual attention and takes medication to help improvehis ability to pay attention and to control his mood swings. Dueto the abuse andneglectin his birth family, Josh has been in and out of shelters and foster homessince 1992. He is mostat- against such pressing needs as roads, schools and universities. “TI don’t see all the sudden Cor- tional behaviors keep him from rections will zoom to the top of the priority list,” she said. “The having successful relationships with most other people. reality is, all those other problems arestill there.” tachedto his sister, Allisoncq, but his low self-esteem and opposi- A strong AmericanIndian fam- ily is needed for Josh, where he can keepties with sister Allisoneq and his three youngersiblings.Financial assistance for medical Josh whereeveryoneis nice to me.” This child is of averageintelli- gence, but is delayed in his motor skills, academic andsocialskills. Devonhasmissed out on the care and nurturing that would have taught him to trust and get along with others. Devon tests adults constantly, is sometimes defiant and plays aggressively with other children. However, he takes med- seemed more worried about who than how. “Whattroubles meis that must have been a hell of a situation, watching your friends go down care, therapy and adoption is like that. Terrible,” said Kirk- 5-year-old. He enjoysplayingout- father willing to participate in doors, loves Batman, video games and homevideos. When he grows Devon's therapy will help him learn to trust others. Financial assistance for medical care, therapy and adoptionis available. norules for how closelight planes can fly during a tandem cruise. An agent from the National Transportation and Safety Board is expected to arrive today to complete the investigation. available. Devon F. Devonis a curious andtalkative up he'dlike to be a policeman, but right now hesays,“I wantto live ication to help modify his behavior and also participates in play therapy. A two-parent family or single To adopt one of these children or others, contact the Rocky Mountain Adoption Exchange, 610 £. South Temple, Salt Lake City, or call 359-7700. Financialassistanceis available. the Cherokeeis “low wing plane,” constructed with its wings below the crew cabin,it is critical that the Cessnafly at a higheraltitude than the Cherokee when the two are in formation. If that formationis reversed, as in this case, the pilots can lose sight of each other. ‘And when they're right on top of eachother, [the Cessna’s] blind spot is just PENTIUM-200 MHZ Would you like to own this computer with: e eepenan 200 MHZ CPU Drive © 16 MB poe Sv(GA Monitor, 28dp, @ ox cD ROM°#60 wattPe © PNPstereo : 33,600 Fax/Data modem Looking or Volunteers above it, where the wing is,” Groves said. “The Cherokee’s blind spot is just below it, where its wingis.” In this case, becauseof a risky flight formation, the pilots may not have known whathit them. Regardless, many witnesses on the ground believed the two planes wereflying with reckless .. To Test A New Research Eye Medication BUGIS 57 £. 400 §. 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(Sorry, no smokers.) “When they have new infor- mation, usually they start to submit a proposal to address this issue within 30 days. While the Legislature may be asked to fund a supplementalappropriation, he said, “We think man. According to Rodda,there are RES chaos when I arrived,” Davis cams Sheriff's Sgt. Duane Potts cuse before smashing into a 5- about 500 new inmates are expected to be added to the prison West Point resident but Federal Aviation Administration investigator David J. Rodda said that couldn't be confirmed and differed from the survivors’ pilots may have beenstunting. Small sheared pieces from the two planeslittered several neighborhoods, as well as Lynn Kirkman’s 100-acre farm. The Cessna just missed crashing into severalrural subdivisions in Clinton, West Point and Syra- ies, counties and otherstates. “The wing was broke right away, but then the tail tipped andit just shot down. acre plowedfield. After the collision, Aaron said the Cessna madeseveralbig loops ing Warnick to share this information and emphasized the importance of inspecting cargo bays. The other three areas of study staff because so many officers jumpto better paying jobsin cit- guedpassionately for higher Corrections’ salaries and morejail cells. In the end, he could say his cause had logged some notable victories. Lawmakers gave McCotter’s Provo bank that afternoon, then raped and pillaged his way around the West before cussed. The deputy warden also recalled personally visit- me personally,’’ Warnick wrote in appealing his firing. standard procedureto inspect outgoing cargo. Hobby said Warnick attend- used to provide someorall of the medical and mental-health ser- demand tojail those who commit crimes. “The needs of the corrections growthof inmates and otherchallenges of growth. During thelast to binge bystealing a car in Gunnison. He allegedly robbed a er private contractors should be tacked every program” the Cor- him self worth.” Heclaimed it had never been ative about the system.” hearings in which members “at- required “searchall vehicles, inside and what I havelost in terms of my McCotter and Leavitt said Friday they would reconsider wheth- “I was shocked and surprised,” Hobby contends Warnick’s instructions of his hiding place and launched a multi-state crime noted some members of the committee that set the Corrections Department budget seemed “‘neg- Brown commented Saturday. Few who knew McCotter did not have a similar reaction — a senseof surpriseatfirst, followed by a nodsuggesting his departure madesense. tutional operations. Corrections’ director of insti- eeepherd later slipped out prison system,” said Brown, who ficial. meeting with Terry Bartlett, the cargo bay without getting inside to inspect the pallets. out, leaving that controlpoint. me would include the cargo As speaker of the state House Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard remembered budget and truck frame and checked ground that included Medicaid fraud and improper therapy techniques. Day celebration but McCotter did departureof any cabinet-levelof- ing the only Corrections employee disciplinedin the after- math of the escape. Warnick was ordered to return to corridor duty, prompting him to go onsick leave before his Feb. 28 led to a prison restraining chair. In addition, Clinical Director Robert Dennis Jones has been under fire for his $148,000 annual salaryand forhis hiring of a psychiatrist with a checkered back- Albuquerque police apprehended him during a bank shootout in March. In the meantime, Warnick's career fell apart after becom- @ Continued from B-1 SD in the wake the death last month andthelevelofcrisis thatis in the of Representatives, Brown is usually an insider when it comes to scuttlebutt about the imminent BlamesPrison For Escape has been the sourceof the Correc- to speak at the prison’s Founders’ not show up. Ex-Guard Thefirst is prison medical and mental-health operations, which Qualified Participants Will Receive: © Study-Related Eye Exams & Medications CLINICOR Salt Lake City $6.99 Haircuts {rcludes shathpoo Reeg. $11.99-$14.99 : Lithited tithe offer FashionPlace Mall 801-268-5116 ~ Murray Call 581-0111 |
