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CNN Saturday Morning News
A look at Longest Prison Hostage Crisis in U.S. History
Aired January 31, 2004 - 08:01 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.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN ANCHOR: Now to our top story at this hour. That is the ongoing hostage situation at a prison in Arizona. The stand- off now in its 14th day, making it the longest prison hostage crisis in American history.
We got some reports overnight that there may be some action out at the prison.
And for the latest, we want to go to Buckeye, Arizona.
Our Miguel Marquez is out there -- Miguel, I know it's early out there, but what's been going on overnight?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's more going on tonight than has been for the last 13 nights. Today we are in the 14th day of this thing, as you said. The only thing officially people are saying out here is that negotiations are continuing. But overnight we've seen more activity out here at the Louis Prison in Arizona than we have on previous nights.
Some floodlights, two floodlights were put up on the watch tower where these two inmates are holding a female corrections officer and about an hour ago, a little after 5:00 a.m. Pacific time, or Arizona time, we heard a siren, a short blast of a siren. It's not entirely clear what that was all about.
The only thing officials are saying about that female corrections officer, though, is that she's hanging in there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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 continue.
IVAN BARTOS, ARIZONA 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 at 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 coworkers being in the situation that they are.
MARQUEZ: Moreno works in Perryville supply and mailroom. She says her family worries about her and her job.
MORENO: I don't think I can 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, hostage situations are trained for and it's 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 say they see no easy way out for the female officer. And at one of the towns three restaurants, there is growing frustration.
DARLA CARTER, BUCKEYE, ARIZONA RESIDENT: I think it's gone on too long. I'm surprised the state hasn't taken charge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now what happened yesterday is that some food and water or some beverages were provided to the inmates and to their hostage. Officials here saying that they did an audio check with her and that health care professionals, including a medical doctor, listened in on that audio check and say, in their words, that she was alert and mobile, is what they believe. But they don't think that they will have a clear idea of just how she's doing until they have a full medical assessment, which means she's got to get out of there -- Jeff.
FLOCK: So they're not in a hurry. It looks like they're just willing to stick it out, hey, Miguel?
MARQUEZ: Well, I think as time goes by, there's increasing frustration amongst the public, certainly. But there's also a desire to get her out. There is, there seems to be, at least from the discussion that we had last night with officials here, some growing concern about how she's doing. They do request these visual checks and audio checks with her. This is the first time that we know of that they had medical professionals on that line to hear how she's doing. So they are definitely and desperately trying to assess her condition up there -- Jeff.
FLOCK: Miguel Marquez, appreciate it.
Thanks, Miguel.
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 - 08:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN ANCHOR: Now to our top story at this hour. That is the ongoing hostage situation at a prison in Arizona. The stand- off now in its 14th day, making it the longest prison hostage crisis in American history.
We got some reports overnight that there may be some action out at the prison.
And for the latest, we want to go to Buckeye, Arizona.
Our Miguel Marquez is out there -- Miguel, I know it's early out there, but what's been going on overnight?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's more going on tonight than has been for the last 13 nights. Today we are in the 14th day of this thing, as you said. The only thing officially people are saying out here is that negotiations are continuing. But overnight we've seen more activity out here at the Louis Prison in Arizona than we have on previous nights.
Some floodlights, two floodlights were put up on the watch tower where these two inmates are holding a female corrections officer and about an hour ago, a little after 5:00 a.m. Pacific time, or Arizona time, we heard a siren, a short blast of a siren. It's not entirely clear what that was all about.
The only thing officials are saying about that female corrections officer, though, is that she's hanging in there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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 continue.
IVAN BARTOS, ARIZONA 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 at 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 coworkers being in the situation that they are.
MARQUEZ: Moreno works in Perryville supply and mailroom. She says her family worries about her and her job.
MORENO: I don't think I can 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, hostage situations are trained for and it's 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 say they see no easy way out for the female officer. And at one of the towns three restaurants, there is growing frustration.
DARLA CARTER, BUCKEYE, ARIZONA RESIDENT: I think it's gone on too long. I'm surprised the state hasn't taken charge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now what happened yesterday is that some food and water or some beverages were provided to the inmates and to their hostage. Officials here saying that they did an audio check with her and that health care professionals, including a medical doctor, listened in on that audio check and say, in their words, that she was alert and mobile, is what they believe. But they don't think that they will have a clear idea of just how she's doing until they have a full medical assessment, which means she's got to get out of there -- Jeff.
FLOCK: So they're not in a hurry. It looks like they're just willing to stick it out, hey, Miguel?
MARQUEZ: Well, I think as time goes by, there's increasing frustration amongst the public, certainly. But there's also a desire to get her out. There is, there seems to be, at least from the discussion that we had last night with officials here, some growing concern about how she's doing. They do request these visual checks and audio checks with her. This is the first time that we know of that they had medical professionals on that line to hear how she's doing. So they are definitely and desperately trying to assess her condition up there -- Jeff.
FLOCK: Miguel Marquez, appreciate it.
Thanks, Miguel.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
