Tonight, I’m going to tell you about a prison guard and
inmate who died when their transport van rolled on an icy stretch of Interstate
70 in December. A police investigation blamed the private-prison guard from CCA
who was driving. The report said she was going too fast and was an
inexperienced driver.
During my investigation I discovered none of the inmates
were allowed to have seat belts. Our state Department of Corrections doesn’t
require private-prison companies to give inmates seat belts. Most of our report
focuses on getting answers about that.
Doing a story about a prisoner who dies is always tricky.
We, in the news business, wonder if viewers will connect with the story about
someone who committed a felony.
I’ve been a reporter for more than a decade now. I’ve
interviewed inmates in prison and their families outside.
What strikes me is how families of prisoners are punished
too. Many times they have done nothing wrong.
Mothers are forced to raise kids as single parents while
dads sit in prison.
What if your brother, mother, father or wife broke the
law and went to prison?
Would you stop loving that person? I wouldn’t and it
wouldn’t stop me from being crushed if he or she died in a van without seat
belts.
Any of us could find ourselves loving someone who is
forced on treacherous roads with no seat belts.
That’s why we should care about what we uncovered in our
investigation.
It airs Friday night an 9 and 10 on 9NEWS and will be on 9NEWS.com after it airs.
I asked the wife of inmate Daniel Cooper to tell me about what this situation has been like for her. Daniel Cooper was injured when the van rolled. I am not professing that I've verified his wife's claims but give it to you to read and decide for yourself what is right. This is a portion of what she said wrote to me:
On December 20th 2011 I started my normal routine as usual; make a pot of coffee & turn on tunes while I get ready. I had spoke to my husband that Sunday and knew he was going to be transported to a minimum facility and would call me as soon as he could. For some reason that morning decided to turn on the T.V instead of my usual routine, and that's when I saw it ......a correctional van that was transporting inmates was involved in a fatal accident, 2 dead and several injured.
I started to panic they weren't releasing any names I knew Daniel was on that van, I felt a feeling I really can't explain, I mean I had finally met a man that was this amazing person that just makes some stupid choices and he could be dead. I kept thinking what if I'm a widow. Well anyways I finally got myself together enough to start making calls. My friends kept saying don't worry honey they would have called if Daniel was in that van.
I was his emergency contact so for a few minutes the panic subsided. I first called Kit Carson and they acted like they had no idea but informed me they only call families when a prisoner dies. WHAT???? are you kidding me and with no sensitivity whats so ever. I didn't stop there I made several calls and finally got information that he was in the van and that he had sustained serious injuries. I was furious how could they not call families to let us know.
I finally got to talk to a nurse at Denver Health who was very kind and had Daniel sign a release of information so I could know what was going on. I called everyday 2x a day to get updates on him. Our lives have been turned upside down in a matter of minutes. So once I got to talk to Daniel which was several days later and many a phone call to DOC I heard from my husband what happened.
2 very important things I'd like changed 1st: All transportation vans,buses etc should have seat belts & second an accident of this multitude families should be notified immediately!!!! Daniel struggles everyday he is haunted by the events of that day I am powerless to help him we haven't seen each other in almost 2 years another great DOC move.
I am hoping that reaching out the public they can see just how important seat belts are and chose to make the right decision either alone or transporting people go slow and pay attention. Thank you for listening my heart & prayers go out to the families suffering YOU ARE NOT ALONE :)
