Prosecutors mulling death penalty for Pasquotank inmates charged in failed prison escape
By Rico Bush
WAVY News
PASQUOTANK, N.C. (WAVY) — Prosecutors are expected to meet Wednesday morning to discuss a possible harsher punishment for four inmates allegedly involved in a deadly attack at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution.
The purpose of the hearing is to determine if the state will seek the death penalty against those inmates accused of trying to escape
State officials say the inmates started a fire in the facility's sewing plant in October. According to police, the inmates then tried to escape the prison, but were caught before leaving the prison yard. During the chaos, several people were hurt and hospitalized.
Four prison workers died in the attack.
Prosecutors charged the inmates with first-degree murder in connection with the incident. In October, the inmates were indicted on several other charges, including burning a public building, felony riot and assault with a deadly weapon.
The prison has remained on the lockdown since the deadly attack. Meanwhile, the prison’s sewing plant where the ambush happened has been closed indefinitely.
The capital penalty determination hearing is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m.
http://wavy.com/2017/12/06/pasquotan...prison-escape/
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