| Review of Prison Security Completed |
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| Statement from Dave Cook |
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"Inmate James Kinney escaped from Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution on Saturday, October 2, 1999 at approximately 10:30 p.m.
"Despite the best efforts of the Department of Corrections and law enforcement, Kinney remains at large. The department is appealing to the media to continue broadcasting Kinney´s photo and description. In turn, the department is committed to providing the public with as much information as possible without compromising ongoing investigations into his whereabouts or the security of its prisons.
"The safety of the public is foremost in our minds. I support our Fugitive Apprehension Unit´s pursuit of this dangerous criminal. That includes working with law enforcement officials on all levels to locate and capture the fugitive, protect the fugitive´s past victims, and investigate the escape that was committed Saturday night.
"Furthermore, we are alert to the possibility that inmates may attempt "copy cat" escape methods at EOCI and in our other prisons. We are ratcheting up security accordingly to prevent any such attempts. Accordingly, you may find specific information regarding our security practices and procedures to be scarce; this is deliberate.
"Once again, I want to reiterate that our concern is public safety and our commitment to the public is that we will continue to operate safe and secure prisons."
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| Team Conducts Review |
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A team of security authorities from the Department of Corrections arrived in Pendleton on Tuesday, October 5, to review events leading up to the escape, the escape itself, the prison's response to the escape, and the current status of prison security.
The team is composed of Joan Palmateer, superintendent, Oregon State Penitentiary and security consultant for the National Institute of Corrections; Mitch Morrow, superintendent, Oregon State Correctional Institution and former assistant superintendent for Security at Oregon State Penitentiary; and Brian Belleque, assistant superintendent for Security, Oregon State Penitentiary.
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| Escape Theory |
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The Department of Corrections Review Team has formulated a working theory regarding the method of escape:
Inmate Kinney attended religious services Saturday evening in the prison chapel. He hid in the chapel and waited until it closed for the evening.
He retrieved a rope that had previously been concealed in the chapel. The rope was made of flag football belts and had a loop on one end.
Kinney climbed into the balcony of the chapel, broke through a door and was able to access the roof. From his position on the roof he was able to observe the mobile patrol vehicles. At an opportune time he threw the loop over a post on the inner fence. He mounted a 37-foot high narrow ledge and using the rope was able to swing out and around coils of razor wire lining the roof.
The rope broke. He made a leap for the outer fence, missed and fell into the razor wire and cut himself in the process. He then took the remaining portion of rope and used it to leverage a climb up and over the outer fence and vaulted to the ground.
A small blood trail led away from the institution across the perimeter patrol road.
Perimeter fence security alarms alerted officers in the control center who, in turn, alerted mobile patrol who responded to the area.
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| Response |
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As soon as the escape was suspected, several actions took place simultaneously: the institution was locked down, an emergency count of inmates was conducted and law enforcement officials were notified.
Armed officers were immediately posted in the area of the breach to protect the public and prevent any additional escapes.
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| Initial Search |
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Correctional security staff were deployed with weapons to scour the area and attempt to locate the inmate. The Department of Corrections Special Investigations Unit, the Pendleton Police Department, the Oregon State Police and the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office all participated in searching for the inmate. Additionally blood hounds from Umatilla County Search and Rescue were used.
EOCI abuts an active rail line. A train was stopped near the institution at the time of the escape. Members of the EOCI Tactical Emergency Response Team performed a thorough search of the three-quarter-mile-long train with the total cooperation of Union Pacific. The engineer even uncoupled and separated the train so it would not block the entrance to the institution. As a result the train was delayed for several hours to rule it out as a hiding spot or as a mode of transportation for the inmate.
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| Corrective Actions |
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Superintendent Jean Hill took several immediate corrective actions to prevent another escape of a similar nature. "If there is a consistent theme among the changes we've made and the recommendations we've welcomed, it is to vary routines." They include changes in staffing patterns, operations and procedures.
Additionally, several modifications to the physical facility have been identified. "I want the public to be assured that we have enhanced security in many areas of the institution including the specific area where the escape occurred."
Some of the changes already initiated:
• Repaired and tested the electronic alarms on the fence. The fence was fully functional before nightfall Sunday.
• Stationed armed staff in strategic areas to protect the public from any additional escapes, particularly in the area that had been breached.
• Immediately restricted all inmate access to the chapel until additional security measures are completed, inspected and tested.
• Conducted review of inmates who pose a risk of escape or other threats to security. Systems will be used to continuously monitor these inmates.
• Began counts of all inmates participating in activities and other programs when they arrive and when they leave group areas.
• Installed first of several security cameras to monitor fence.
Superintendent Hill indicated that several short-term recommendations made by the Review Team will start being implemented within the month. These include:
• Placing bars on several windows.
• Installing physical barriers to the balcony in the chapel.
• Replacing roof doors with steel doors and high security locks.
• Securing areas where inmates may not be readily observable, particularly in the chapel.
• Modifying perimeter fences so that ropes cannot be looped over supporting poles.
• Installing additional security cameras in specific areas to monitor the fence.
Other enhancements to security equipment and changes in several security operations and routines were also suggested and will be adopted. They range from the nature of staff assignments in certain critical posts within the institution to additional inmate counts to the enhancement of certain physical barriers and equipment such as lighting.
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| History of Escape Attempts |
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Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution has been one of the state's most secure prisons since its opening in 1985. No one has ever escaped from the medium security facility.
There have been three prior escape attempts, all of which were thwarted:
On April 5, 1990, at approximately 9:45 p.m., a mobile patrol officer responded to a perimeter fence alarm located on the southeast side of the institution. Upon arriving at the scene, the officer observed two inmates in the area. One inmate was standing near the inside of the inner fence. The second inmate was between the inner and outer fences. That inmate had placed an ladder against the outer fence over the razor ribbon and was preparing to climb over.
The mobile patrol immediately advised the institution control center that an escape attempt was in progress. Armed with a shotgun he approached the fence and ordered the second inmate to stop. The first inmate ran from the scene in the direction of a construction site located within the institution. The mobile patrol officer maintained control of the second inmate until additional staff arrived at the scene. The first inmate managed to return to his living area without being identified.
On August 28, 1992 at approximately 11:25 p.m. an inmate was found missing during a routine inmate count. An emergency count was ordered and a search of the institution initiated. At 12:15 a.m. the inmate was found hiding on the roof of D-Building. The inmate was handcuffed and lodged in the Disciplinary Segregation Unit. Follow-up investigation revealed that the inmate had intended to escape, however, once he arrived on the roof and observed the security equipment in place, he was deterred. It was while he was contemplating his next move that security staff discovered him.
On June 2, 1996 at 9:48 p.m., a mobile patrol officer responded to a perimeter alarm located on the northeast side of the prison. Upon his arrival, the officer observed an inmate near the inner fence. The officer immediately notified the control center, and exited the patrol vehicle with a shotgun. The inmate, realizing he had been observed, raised his hands in the air. Additional staff were dispatched to the area to assist with apprehending the inmate. The inmate was placed in restraints and escorted to the Disciplinary Segregation Unit without further incident.
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| Status of the Search |
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The initial stages of the search for James Kinney focused in Oregon. As time passed, they expanded to bordering states. All Points Bulletins have been issued to all Western states.
Leads in the search extend into California. Investigators in the Department of Corrections Fugitive Apprehension Unit have not ruled out the possibility that Kinney is headed out of the country. Therefore immigration, customs and border patrol authorities at all international borders have been notified and provided photographs and physical descriptions of the fugitive.
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| Profile of Fugitive |
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James Kinney´s criminal activity began as a juvenile with his first arrest in 1973. While in custody he escaped on one occasion and had other attempted escapes.
In 1977, he was apprehended in Coos County in a stolen vehicle. During the arrest process he attacked and stabbed the arresting officer. Subsequently he fled Coos County to elude the pending charges of Attempted Murder and Assault I.
In 1978, Kinney was sentenced in Humbolt County, California, on Attempted Robbery, Battery on a Peace Officer and Escape with Force, receiving a sentence of 5 years, 8 months. In 1980 he received a two-year sentence in Bakersfield, California on Prison Escape Without Force. In 1981 he received another two years in Chino, California, again for Prison Escape Without Force.
In 1979, Kinney was returned to Oregon to stand trial on the Coos County on Attempted Murder and Assault I indictments. He was sentenced to serve 20 years on the Attempted Murder offense, concurrent with the California sentences. The Assault I was merged for sentencing with the Attempted Murder.
Upon completion of the California portion of the sentences, Kinney was again returned to Oregon. Beginning in January 1983, he served the remainder of the Attempted Murder sentence at Oregon State Penitentiary. The Parole Board denied his request for parole in February, 1987. Under the laws in effect at the time, (the Compelled Parole statute - ORS 144.245(2)), he was released on September 1, 1989 to parole supervision. His sentence was discharged on March 21, 1990.
Inmate Kinney was again arrested and charged in Josephine County on July 23, 1996, for sodomizing a minor. He was subsequently sentenced for Sodomy 1, Sodomy II and two counts of Sex Abuse 1.
During the period of time that Inmate Kinney was housed at the Josephine County Jail pending trial he committed an Assault IV and an Assault on a Public Safety Officer. He was subsequently sentenced to 12 months on the Assault IV and 6 months on the Assault on a Public Safety Officer. Both sentences are consecutive to each other and consecutive to the DOC sentence, and will be served in Josephine County Jail upon completion of the DOC sentences.
Kinney was again committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections on March 25, 1997.
Of four major disciplinary actions on file, two were received at Oregon Corrections Intake Center during the intake and admission process. On May 8,1997. he received 14 days segregation for removing the cell seat. On March 20, 1997, he received 120 days when sharpened 15" metal broom support bars were found hidden inside of his mattress.
He was initially assigned to Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. A common practice in the prison system is to separate known enemies; Kinney had several at the penitentiary and was therefore transferred to EOCI on August 29, 1997.
On February 10, 1998, he received 120 days segregation when a coil of several flag football belts, tied together, was discovered in the metal drawer on the bottom bunk of his cell. Because he was found in possession of an escape device he was transferred to the Intensive Management Unit in Salem on August 10, 1998.
On February 10, 1999 he was returned to EOCI. On May 3, 1999, he was sanctioned to seven days segregation for failure to obey an order.
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| Public Cautioned |
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James Kinney is described as a 5'8" tall white male weighing approximately 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Kinney should be considered dangerous and should not be approached. Corrections officials recommend calling 911 immediately should the public have any information regarding his whereabouts.
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| Pictures of James Kinney |
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