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CNN Live Saturday
Arizona Prison Standoff in 14th Day
Aired January 31, 2004 - 12:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Watching and waiting. It's been two weeks now since that standoff began at an Arizona state prison. A female corrections officer is being held hostage in a prison tower by two inmates. Officials say she's hanging in there.
CNN's Miguel Marquez is outside the prison in Buckeye.
And Miguel, how do they know how well she's doing?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they know -- we just got updated a short time ago there, Fredricka.
They now because they talked to her yesterday. They had health professionals talking to her for a little bit yesterday, and then a doctor look over that entire conversation. They feel fairly confident that she is doing all right. The other thing that they are saying is that negotiations are ongoing with these two inmates, but they're not saying if they're talking today.
We do know last night we saw something different than we've seen for the last couple of weeks here: big lights, flood lights were put up to shine on to the watchtower where this female corrections officer is being held by these two inmates. A siren went off a little earlier today. Officials here aren't commenting on what all of that means. The only thing they are saying, though, is that this corrections officer is so far doing OK.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Another morning, another walk around the guard tower, another stretch, another delivery of supplies -- another day with no end in sight for a female corrections officer held hostage. Only negotiations continued.
IVAN BARTOS, ARIONZA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS: We are doing everything humanly possible to assure her safe return to her family.
MARQUEZ: Mayra Moreno and Eric Miller are officers in Arizona's Perryville Prison, just up the road from the place where one of their colleagues is being held by two male inmates.
MAYRA MORENO, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: Everybody's concerned about the situation. And of course, you know, everybody's worried about our co-workers being in the situation that they are.
MARQUEZ: Moreno works in Perryville supply and mail room. She says her family worries about her and her job. MORENO: I don't think I could imagine -- imagine being myself -- I can't place myself in that position.
MARQUEZ: For Eric Miller, who works in the control room of the all-women's prison, a hostage situations are trained for. And its training he hopes never to use.
ERIC MILLER, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: You're never prepared for the what-if until it actually happens.
MARQUEZ: In nearby Buckeye, a town whose economy exists on farming, ranching and several nearby prisons, people we talked to said they see no easy way out for the female officer, and at one of the town's three restaurants, there is growing frustration.
DARLA CARTER, BUCKEYE RESIDENT: I think it's gone on too long. I'm surprised the state hasn't taken charge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Fredricka, negotiators here and officials say the only way they see out of this thing is a negotiated settle - Fredricka.
All right. Miguel Marquez, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 31, 2004 - 12:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Watching and waiting. It's been two weeks now since that standoff began at an Arizona state prison. A female corrections officer is being held hostage in a prison tower by two inmates. Officials say she's hanging in there.
CNN's Miguel Marquez is outside the prison in Buckeye.
And Miguel, how do they know how well she's doing?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they know -- we just got updated a short time ago there, Fredricka.
They now because they talked to her yesterday. They had health professionals talking to her for a little bit yesterday, and then a doctor look over that entire conversation. They feel fairly confident that she is doing all right. The other thing that they are saying is that negotiations are ongoing with these two inmates, but they're not saying if they're talking today.
We do know last night we saw something different than we've seen for the last couple of weeks here: big lights, flood lights were put up to shine on to the watchtower where this female corrections officer is being held by these two inmates. A siren went off a little earlier today. Officials here aren't commenting on what all of that means. The only thing they are saying, though, is that this corrections officer is so far doing OK.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Another morning, another walk around the guard tower, another stretch, another delivery of supplies -- another day with no end in sight for a female corrections officer held hostage. Only negotiations continued.
IVAN BARTOS, ARIONZA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS: We are doing everything humanly possible to assure her safe return to her family.
MARQUEZ: Mayra Moreno and Eric Miller are officers in Arizona's Perryville Prison, just up the road from the place where one of their colleagues is being held by two male inmates.
MAYRA MORENO, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: Everybody's concerned about the situation. And of course, you know, everybody's worried about our co-workers being in the situation that they are.
MARQUEZ: Moreno works in Perryville supply and mail room. She says her family worries about her and her job. MORENO: I don't think I could imagine -- imagine being myself -- I can't place myself in that position.
MARQUEZ: For Eric Miller, who works in the control room of the all-women's prison, a hostage situations are trained for. And its training he hopes never to use.
ERIC MILLER, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: You're never prepared for the what-if until it actually happens.
MARQUEZ: In nearby Buckeye, a town whose economy exists on farming, ranching and several nearby prisons, people we talked to said they see no easy way out for the female officer, and at one of the town's three restaurants, there is growing frustration.
DARLA CARTER, BUCKEYE RESIDENT: I think it's gone on too long. I'm surprised the state hasn't taken charge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Fredricka, negotiators here and officials say the only way they see out of this thing is a negotiated settle - Fredricka.
All right. Miguel Marquez, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
