A convicted murderer who busted out of a New York prison was indicted Thursday on escape charges – and the prosecutor said the case could go to trial.
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“A state court judge entered a plea of not guilty for Sweat, who appeared in court with his right arm in a sling”, CNN further reports.
Christinne Muschi/ReutersDavid Sweat arrives for his arraignment at Clinton County court, in Plattsburgh, New York August 20, 2015. Sweat, 35, is serving life without parole for the killing of a sheriff’s deputy.
Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie will hold a press conference Thursday morning to update the status of the criminal investigation into June’s Dannemora prison break. He said Sweat could face between 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison and a fine, if convicted on the new charges. The two convicts spent about three weeks on the run from police before they were found. Matt was shot to death while police attempted to capture him, and Sweat was captured two days later.
The judge then entered a not guilty plea on Sweat’s behalf to two counts of first-degree escape and a single count of promoting prison contraband.
Mitchell admitted to providing tools that Sweat and Matt used to cut their way out of the facility.
Each of the charges carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.
Authorities accused prison tailor shop supervisor Joyce Mitchell, 51, of smuggling tools to the pair and corrections officer Gene Palmer, 57, of helping them get behind prison walls to hide contraband. Jay Cook, the firearms instructor who shot and captured Sweat near the Canadian border on June 28.
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Sweat’s court-appointed attorney, Joe Mucia, said Sweat was calm and in a good mood.
