Iowa lawmakers vote to increase corrections budget, pay health insurance for families of slain Anamosa employees msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Inmates from all nine of Iowa s prisons have donated more than $11,000 to fundraisers supporting the families of two Anamosa State Penitentiary staff members killed while on duty in March, the Iowa Department of Corrections says.
State police allege two prisoners beat to death nurse Lorena Schulte and correctional officer Robert McFarland in the prison s infirmary during an escape attempt on March 23.
Iowa Department of Corrections spokesman Cord Overton said the department s business managers added up donations from inmates made to memorial accounts established for the victims. Currently, more than $11,000 has been donated by the inmates through direct donations and fundraisers, he told the Press-Citizen, via email. Donations have been made from all nine prisons.
Iowa Prisoners Donate to Families of Killed Anamosa Workers
Back in March, two staff members at the Anamosa State Penitentiary were attacked and eventually killed in an escape attempt by two inmates. Nurse Lorena Schulte and correctional officer Robert McFarland both died in the attack. Cord Overton, a spokesperson with the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDC) tells the Des Moines Register, inmates at the state s nine prisons have spent the weeks since the incident using their prison work wages to donate to memorial funds set up for the victims and their families.
Advocates say despite their reputation, most inmates are very caring people
Anamosa inmates accused of killing two prison employees will have separate trials thegazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thegazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
5/8/21
Two inmates accused of murdering a pair of workers at the Anamosa State Penitentiary will have separate trials.
That ruling came down from Judge Fae Hoover during a hearing in Jones County on Friday.
28-year-old Michael Dutcher and 39-year-old Thomas Woodard Jr. are both charged with first-degree murder and other counts in the March 23
rd slayings of nurse Lorena Schulte of Cedar Rapids and correctional officer Robert McFarland of Ely. Authorities say the workers were assaulted with hammers and killed during a failed escape attempt. Both inmates were serving time for armed robbery convictions at the time of the killings. If convicted on the murder charges, they each face life in prison.