An investigation has revealed that human error and negligence played a pivotal role in the escape of three Grenadian prisoners who are charged with the murders of two American sailors, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Grenadian Prime Minister and National Security Minister Dickon Mitchell announced that disciplinary action has been taken against four police officers who were charged with serious offences under the Police Act, ranging from making a false statement, permitting the escape of prisoners and breaches of the Standing Orders.
The investigation has revealed that four individual cells at the police station had secure, functioning locking mechanisms, however, the three prisoners had not been placed inside the individual cells which had the secure locking mechanisms, but at the time of the escape were in a corridor which had a burglar bar that was immediately located outside the locking cells.
This allowed the three prisoners to bend the wrought iron or iron grill that secures the corridor area and to escape. Grenada’s Prime Minister said it was therefore clear that had the men been placed in the individual locking cells they would not have escaped or had the opportunity to escape.
Another startling revelation from the investigation was that warnings had been issued two days prior, that the men were high risk and were also a flight risk and based on those warnings, it was even more important all the standard operating procedures be followed to minimise any risk associated with the prisoners being at the police station.
