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SC deputies question inmate about damaged cell wall

COs told deputies that it appeared as if an inmate in the cell was trying to escape

Martha Rose Brown
The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, S.C.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC — Deputies questioned inmates at the Orangeburg County Detention Center on Friday at 9 p.m. regarding damage to the wall in cell A-5.

Correctional officers called deputies to the detention center on Friday after they discovered the damage.

They also told deputies that it appeared as if a particular inmate in that cell was trying to escape, according to the incident report.

When deputies questioned a 33-year-old inmate housed in that cell, the inmate told them that the hole in the wall as there before he was placed in the cell.

The inmate also stated that a previous inmate, who was housed there approximately a year and a half ago, damaged the wall.

The inmate went on to say that he does pick rocks out of the wall and plucks them across the floor, because there’s nothing else to do, the report states.

A correctional officer then showed a box to the inmate.

Inside of the box were pieces of concrete and assorted metal objects in plastic bags. The correctional officer told deputies that the items were collected from the room when they witnessed the inmate giving another inmate a metal object.

The correctional officer told deputies that it wasn’t long after that particular inmate arrived at the jail that rumors began to surface that he was trying to escape.

A cellmate to the inmate in question told deputies that when he arrived in the cell, there was already a hole in the wall.

He told deputies that he sleeps on the bottom bunk and it was about a week ago that he noticed the rocks on the floor.

He also told deputies that he’d never seen the other inmate damaging the wall.

Prior to the inmate in question being removed from the cell, he said, “I did it and do not care,” the cellmate said.

The inmate in question said that he doesn’t use anything but his fingers to dig into the wall.

A magistrate will review the case.

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©2019 The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, S.C.)

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