Prison employees testify

• By JAMES MINTON
• Baker-Zachary bureau
• Published: May 4, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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ST. FRANCISVILLE — One of the five Louisiana State Penitentiary inmates accused of first-degree murder in the death of a security officer offered to testify against the other four soon after the slaying, prison employees said during a pre-trial hearing Saturday.

Jeffrey Cameron Clark followed up his initial offers with a lengthy October 2001 letter offering to make a deal for his testimony in the case, Angola Deputy Warden Darrel Vannoy testified.

Attorneys for the so-called Angola 5 are trying to persuade  20th Judicial District Judge George H. Ware Jr. to throw out statements the defendants made about the Dec. 28, 1999, death of Capt. David C. Knapps, claiming the statements were gained through beatings and other forms of duress.

The attorneys also want other inmates’ statements against their clients thrown out for the same reasons.

Ware heard testimony Saturday concerning statements by Clark, 47, that security officers overheard or that Clark gave to investigators shortly after inmates took over the Camp D educational building in an unsuccessful escape attempt.

Shortly before Angola’s tactical team stormed the building to rescue two employee hostages, Vannoy said, Clark had told him, “All I ever wanted was to be a trusty.”

In the letter two years later, Clark asked to be transferred to Hunt Correctional Center with trusty status in return for testifying for the state.

While riding from Camp D to another camp after officers restored order, Clark repeatedly said “he was going to turn state’s evidence,” Maj. Chad Oubre also testified.

Each of the eight current or former prison employees called to testify Saturday by Jefferson Parish prosecutors Tommy Block and Mike Futrell denied beating inmates or seeing any other employee beat inmates.

Defense attorneys Tommy Damico and Joe Lotwick entered into evidence eight photographs showing severe bruises on Clark’s body. The photographer was the suspect’s former attorney, Burton Guidry, nine days after Knapps was killed.

Guidry testified Friday he took the pictures Jan. 6, 2000, after Clark’s mother told him her son was being beaten in retaliation for Knapps’ death.

Four inmates testified last month that they saw officers pull Clark off a bus transferring prisoners from Camp D to Camp C and beat him with batons and their fists.

Shirley Whittington, an emergency medical technician, said she observed an open wound and a bruise on Clark’s right lower leg Jan. 4, 2000, and referred him for treatment by a doctor.