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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Warden reassigned in probe of escape

By Gordon Pang and Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writers

The state has reassigned Halawa Correctional Facility warden Nolan Espinda while it investigates how three dangerous inmates escaped from the prison's maximum security unit, a spokesman for Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday.

Interim Public Safety Director James Propotnick reassigned Espinda to the director's office "while the investigation related to the breakout is continuing," spokesman Russell Pang said.

Clayton Frank, superintendent at O'ahu Community Correctional Center, is now serving as warden at Halawa, Pang said. Pang said he did not know if the change is permanent or temporary.

Albert Batalona, Warren Elicker and David Scribner escaped April 4 after removing a plumbing access panel and slipping through a narrow utility passageway. They were captured Thursday in Windward O'ahu.

Batalona was serving a life sentence for a 1999 takeover robbery of a Kahala bank, in which he fired an assault rifle at a police officer. Elicker had been convicted for a home-invasion robbery of a Punalu'u couple.

Scribner was serving 10 years for robbery and escape convictions.

Also yesterday, a Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman said the department will ask the state to reimburse it for the cost of the weeklong search for the escapees.

Michelle Yu, HPD spokeswoman, said officials are still trying to determine the amount. "We hope to have a figure next week," she said.

For several days police maintained around-the-clock surveillance in Hau'ula, where the fugitives were believed to be hiding in a valley, and flew over trails and ridges with the HPD helicopter. The escapees were captured Thursday.

Lingle yesterday said she has not heard from Police Chief Lee Donohue about the request.

"He hasn't spoken to me or anyone in our department (of Public Safety) that I'm aware of, so it's just something we'll need to talk about with them," Lingle said.

It is not unusual for the Police Department to ask for reimbursement from the state, Propotnick said.

"I expected a bill from the get-go because I believe that would be common practice," Propotnick said. "It was a state function, of department of corrections, to keep people locked up behind bars."

Lingle said that after John F. Peyton Jr. assumes his position as the new public safety director June 30, prison maximum security issues will be among the matters discussed.

"This is something that will be part of our overall analysis of the prison population that we have today and what steps we should take, whether it's for extra high security or drug treatment, vocational opportunities for prisoners, just a myriad activities we need to look at," Lingle said.

In a related matter, police have released the driver of the pickup in which Elicker was riding Thursday when he was captured in Kane'ohe.

Zebulon Thomas had been arrested on suspicion of hindering prosecution. He was freed Friday after posting bail on three warrants: an $11,000 warrant for probation revocation and two others that were traffic-related.

Advertiser staff writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report.


Correction: The first name of Halawa Correctional Facility warden Nolan Espinda was misspelled in a previous version of this story.