One Escape Was Bad Enough

[youasked4it]

But two escapes by the same guy?! And didn't have another escape out there in the last year or so? It's obvious who is running that jail!

www.amarillo.com/stories/100508/new_news5.shtml

Web-posted Sunday, October 5, 2008

Inmate flees Potter lockup
Convict makes second escape

By Janelle Stecklein
[e-mail]


Police searched Saturday for an inmate who escaped from the Potter County Detention Center.

Potter County Sheriff's Office officials began searching for Joshua Duane Barnes, 20, of Amarillo after he escaped around 12:30 p.m.

Deputies initially created a containment zone around the detention center and dispatched a Life Star Helicopter in hopes of locating Barnes. But by Saturday night, Barnes still hadn't been captured and appeared to have escaped the containment zone.

Potter County officials were still investigating how Barnes got out, a Sheriff's Office official said Saturday evening. Deputies are warning residents to use extreme caution if they come in contact with Barnes.

The Amarillo Police Department was assisting in the search, said Sgt. Brent Barbee.

"We're assisting Potter County by holding a number of units from the day shift past their normal end of shift time and our evening shift put out some officers before their normal shift time to cover calls," Barbee said. "And we've called out both our K-9 Units (to assist with the search)."

Saturday wasn't the first time Barnes had escaped from Potter County custody.

In June, Barnes was in the Potter County District Courts Building to enter a guilty plea when he ran out of the courtroom and down a stairwell, jumping from landing to landing, the Sheriff's Office reported at the time.

The 320th District Court bailiff and three others pursued Barnes, but he escaped.

Potter County authorities found him about four days later in an Amarillo hotel room with his girlfriend.

Barnes' criminal history includes aggravated assault, burglary and escape charges.

In May, Barnes was sentenced to 20 years on five charges. He was indicted on burglary charges in Potter on Sept. 25. Anyone with information is asked to call 806-379-2900.

[jazzman]

You would think with a history of escaping from custody they would take more precautions .....but Noooo!

[youasked4it]

lol......... you'd think huh?

[zebrarick]

We must be taking lessons from Clovis.

[youasked4it]

How many escapes is that for Potter County in the last year maybe two?

[youasked4it]

Potter County seems to have some SERIOUS issues.... I try not to bash law enforcement too much... they have a job I wouldn't do....but what's the problem with Potter County?


www.amarillo.com/stories/100708/new_vick.shtml

Final autopsy on inmate death mirrors preliminary report

By Chris Ramirez
[e-mail]


A final autopsy in the death of Michael Lee Dick says the Potter County Jail inmate died of an ulcer four months ago, but his family still has questions.

Potter County Justice of the Peace Debbie Horn said this morning her office received the autopsy Monday and that its findings mirrored those of a preliminary report issued immediately after Dick's July 19 death.

Horn said his death certificate would continue to read "cause of death pending autopsy" until the Lubbock County Medical Examiner's Office complies with her order to release several organs that had not been reviewed by an independent pathologist hired by Dick's family.

"We're still trying to get answer to the question 'what happened to Michael Dick when he was in jail?'" said Amarillo attorney Jeff Blackburn, who is representing Dick's family. "If Potter County didn't do anything wrong ... they should be open and honest about what happened that day."

Dick, 33 of Amarillo, was jailed after allegedly grabbing a deputy's Taser and shooting at his probation officer July 9 at the Santa Fe Building in downtown Amarillo. He had been wanted earlier for a probation-violation charge of intoxicated assault with a motor vehicle.

Dick was found dead 10 days later. Pathologist Dr. Thomas Beaver listed "peritonitis caused by a perforated duodenal ulcer" as a preliminary cause of Dick's death.

Blackburn said he was frustrated Sheriff Ron Boyter has not submitted to a deposition in the matter. An Oct. 24 hearing has been set in Potter County District Court to determine whether Boyter can be deposed.