Pittsburg County Treasurer Mum On Nature Of Her Relationship With Inmate Escapee
By James Beaty, Senior Editor, McAlester News-Capital ~ Pittsburg County Treasurer Cerita Morley has broken her public silence about the escape of county jail inmate James Bever, saying she’s relieved he’s been caught, and also confirming that she is personally under investigation.
Morley, who had been contacted by the News-Capital after the escape in December and had declined to comment, issued a statement on Friday and also sat down for a brief conversation.
She still declined to answer two key questions the News-Capital asked: What was the nature of her relationship with Bever and how did at least one other inmate trusty working at the county courthouse offices obtain alcoholic beverages while supposedly under her supervision?
“That’s part of the investigation,” Morley said.
Morley had checked out Bever, 25, of Rt. 5, Kiowa, as well as another inmate trusty, to work at the county offices at Sixth Street and Choctaw Avenue on the day Bever escaped last December.
She acknowledged letting a trusty inmate use her telephone on the day of the escape — but she now says it wasn’t Bever.
In an affidavit filed in December, Pittsburg County Jail Administrator Tom Steele said Morely had told him that Bever had used her cell phone before he escaped. “I misspoke,” Morley told the News-Capital on Friday. She now says she let another trusty at her office use her cell phone that day — not Bever. Morley said the other inmate had told her he wanted to call a family member.
Morley said she contacted the sheriff’s office when she learned that Bever had escaped.
Morley also said she has two attorneys representing her: District 7 state Sen. Richard Leberlance, D-Hartshorne, and District 18 state Rep. Terry Harrison, D-McAlester.
Why does she feel the need for legal representation? “I’m under investigation,” Morely said. “I have no choice but to get this representation.”
Morely said accusations were hurled at her shortly after the escape. Who accused her? “The sheriff,” Morley said, referring to Pittsburg County Sheriff Jerome “Snookie” Amaranto.
In a written statement, Morely said “We should all be scared and horrified that a career criminal with multiple felony convictions” was allowed to be a trusty. “I have already contacted a legislator to draft a bill to prevent any sheriff in Oklahoma from doing what was done here,” Morley said in her statement. “No sheriff should be allowed to make a dangerous career criminal a trusty,” Morely said, referring to Bever’s previous charges and convictions. “In an attempt to quell rumors, I want all to know that I have cooperated fully with the OSBI during the course of their investigation and will continue to do so,” Morley said in her written statement. “I in no way helped in this escape, purchased any form of alcohol, or sexual relations with any trusty,” Morley’s statement said. “I think it is extremely unfair the sheriff is putting all the blame on me so that no one questions the facts that he allowed a career criminal with escape charges to be a trusty."
Morely said in her statement she wanted to apologize if her actions puts anyone in danger and she said she appreciates those who have supported her. “If I had only known the extensive criminal history of the career criminal I would never have allowed him to be around myself, office and family.”
Asked about Morley’s statements, Sheriff Amaranto sounded incensed. “The truth will come out,” said Amaranto, who along with OSBI Agent John Jones interviewed Bever on Thursday after the U.S. Marshal’s Service apprehended the escapee at a residence in Cushing last Wednesday night.
Amaranto said he would like to say a lot more, but he also noted the case is still under investigation. “She’s the only one that’s blamed us” Amaranto said of Morley.
The sheriff said he’s let inmate trusties go out on work details for 30 years and has never had a situation like this arise.
Morely said she’s glad the U.S. Marshal’s service caught Bever. “I feel a little safer; I feel my family’s a little safer; my office feels safer,” Morley said.
Bever was sentenced to 10 years with the DOC in November for convictions of first-degree burglary, assault and battery and malicious injury to property, and was waiting to transfer to the DOC at the time of his escape, according to Steele’s affidavit.
In the first article written about the escape, the News-Capital asked the sheriff how an inmate with as many felony charges as Bever became a trusty. “We couldn’t find nobody who wanted to work,” Amaranto said. He said the county does not force inmates to work who do not want to work.
On Friday, Pittsburg County deputies transported Bever to the Pittsburg County Courthouse for an initial appearance arraignment on a felony escape charge filed after he fled the courthouse offices.
While Bever stood before Special Judge Donnita Wynn in belly irons and leg chains, Wynn told him he faces a sentence of from three years to life if convicted. Bever seemed a little unsure how to respond.“I don’t have to say nothing?” Bever said. “Do you wish to enter a plea of not guilty?” Wynn asked. “I guess so,” Bever replied.
Wynn set bond at $100,000 — then advised sheriff’s deputies that’s only a technicality and Bever is not to be released, since he is being held by the sheriff’s department for the Department of Corrections.
The judge set a preliminary hearing conference in the case for 9 a.m. on Friday.
As Bever left the courtroom for the short walk back to a patrol car, the News-Capital fired a few quick questions his way. How’d he get away from the courthouse offices so fast last December? “I ran my a-- off,” Bever said as he shuffled along in his shackles and chains. How’d he stay out of sight for the past month? “I got together with a girl,” he said. Did anybody help him escape?Nope, Bever said, he did it all himself. How did he manage to flee the courthouse offices? Did he crawl out a window? Bever shook his head, no. ”I walked right out the back door,” Bever said, as he stepped inside the patrol car for his return trip to the jail.
Morley, who had been contacted by the News-Capital after the escape in December and had declined to comment, issued a statement on Friday and also sat down for a brief conversation.
She still declined to answer two key questions the News-Capital asked: What was the nature of her relationship with Bever and how did at least one other inmate trusty working at the county courthouse offices obtain alcoholic beverages while supposedly under her supervision?
“That’s part of the investigation,” Morley said.
Morley had checked out Bever, 25, of Rt. 5, Kiowa, as well as another inmate trusty, to work at the county offices at Sixth Street and Choctaw Avenue on the day Bever escaped last December.
She acknowledged letting a trusty inmate use her telephone on the day of the escape — but she now says it wasn’t Bever.
In an affidavit filed in December, Pittsburg County Jail Administrator Tom Steele said Morely had told him that Bever had used her cell phone before he escaped. “I misspoke,” Morley told the News-Capital on Friday. She now says she let another trusty at her office use her cell phone that day — not Bever. Morley said the other inmate had told her he wanted to call a family member.
Morley said she contacted the sheriff’s office when she learned that Bever had escaped.
Morley also said she has two attorneys representing her: District 7 state Sen. Richard Leberlance, D-Hartshorne, and District 18 state Rep. Terry Harrison, D-McAlester.
Why does she feel the need for legal representation? “I’m under investigation,” Morely said. “I have no choice but to get this representation.”
Morely said accusations were hurled at her shortly after the escape. Who accused her? “The sheriff,” Morley said, referring to Pittsburg County Sheriff Jerome “Snookie” Amaranto.
In a written statement, Morely said “We should all be scared and horrified that a career criminal with multiple felony convictions” was allowed to be a trusty. “I have already contacted a legislator to draft a bill to prevent any sheriff in Oklahoma from doing what was done here,” Morley said in her statement. “No sheriff should be allowed to make a dangerous career criminal a trusty,” Morely said, referring to Bever’s previous charges and convictions. “In an attempt to quell rumors, I want all to know that I have cooperated fully with the OSBI during the course of their investigation and will continue to do so,” Morley said in her written statement. “I in no way helped in this escape, purchased any form of alcohol, or sexual relations with any trusty,” Morley’s statement said. “I think it is extremely unfair the sheriff is putting all the blame on me so that no one questions the facts that he allowed a career criminal with escape charges to be a trusty."
Morely said in her statement she wanted to apologize if her actions puts anyone in danger and she said she appreciates those who have supported her. “If I had only known the extensive criminal history of the career criminal I would never have allowed him to be around myself, office and family.”
Asked about Morley’s statements, Sheriff Amaranto sounded incensed. “The truth will come out,” said Amaranto, who along with OSBI Agent John Jones interviewed Bever on Thursday after the U.S. Marshal’s Service apprehended the escapee at a residence in Cushing last Wednesday night.
Amaranto said he would like to say a lot more, but he also noted the case is still under investigation. “She’s the only one that’s blamed us” Amaranto said of Morley.
The sheriff said he’s let inmate trusties go out on work details for 30 years and has never had a situation like this arise.
Morely said she’s glad the U.S. Marshal’s service caught Bever. “I feel a little safer; I feel my family’s a little safer; my office feels safer,” Morley said.
Bever was sentenced to 10 years with the DOC in November for convictions of first-degree burglary, assault and battery and malicious injury to property, and was waiting to transfer to the DOC at the time of his escape, according to Steele’s affidavit.
In the first article written about the escape, the News-Capital asked the sheriff how an inmate with as many felony charges as Bever became a trusty. “We couldn’t find nobody who wanted to work,” Amaranto said. He said the county does not force inmates to work who do not want to work.
On Friday, Pittsburg County deputies transported Bever to the Pittsburg County Courthouse for an initial appearance arraignment on a felony escape charge filed after he fled the courthouse offices.
While Bever stood before Special Judge Donnita Wynn in belly irons and leg chains, Wynn told him he faces a sentence of from three years to life if convicted. Bever seemed a little unsure how to respond.“I don’t have to say nothing?” Bever said. “Do you wish to enter a plea of not guilty?” Wynn asked. “I guess so,” Bever replied.
Wynn set bond at $100,000 — then advised sheriff’s deputies that’s only a technicality and Bever is not to be released, since he is being held by the sheriff’s department for the Department of Corrections.
The judge set a preliminary hearing conference in the case for 9 a.m. on Friday.
As Bever left the courtroom for the short walk back to a patrol car, the News-Capital fired a few quick questions his way. How’d he get away from the courthouse offices so fast last December? “I ran my a-- off,” Bever said as he shuffled along in his shackles and chains. How’d he stay out of sight for the past month? “I got together with a girl,” he said. Did anybody help him escape?Nope, Bever said, he did it all himself. How did he manage to flee the courthouse offices? Did he crawl out a window? Bever shook his head, no. ”I walked right out the back door,” Bever said, as he stepped inside the patrol car for his return trip to the jail.
Labels: Cerita Morley, James Bever, Jerome Amaranto, Richard Leberlance, Terry Harrison
posted by Mike McCarville @ 12:56 AM
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