Warren County Commissioner Jeff Eggleston speaks in front of a host of media outlets during a press conference held Wednesday at the Warren County Courthouse. Photo by Josh Cotton

WARREN, Pa. — As the search for jail escapee Michael Burham extends into its seventh day, the Warren County Commissioners expressed regret for the entire situation during Wednesday’s meeting.

Prior to the regular business meeting, each commissioner spoke with Commissioner Jeff Eggleston taking questions from the local, regional and national outlets that have been covering the manhunt.

Commissioner Tricia Durbin called the July 6 escape a “very sad and unfortunate situation (and) not reflective of my personal passion” for acting in what is in the best interest of the county. She apologized, saying it’s something she never imagined happening.

Commissioner Ben Kafferlin said the board has not said much to date because of the ongoing criminal investigation into the escape, but acknowledged it is “time for us” to address the citizens of the county.

“You are right to expect,” he said, that someone incarcerated will stay in jail. “That’s an expectation that I share (and) part of the sacred trust we’ve been given as elected officials.”

Kafferlin highlighted what’s been plainly obvious for several days: there is a “national spotlight being put on Warren County for a bad reason.”

“(I’m) so sorry for the sleepless nights we’ve all experienced,” Kafferlin said. “I’m personally very sorry that this man escaped from our custody.”

He highlighted that “everyone is a stakeholder in this manhunt” and that all “want to know exactly what happened.” He added that while many details can’t be shared publicly to protect the investigation, there is a “rigorous internal investigation” underway.

“We’re not on a witch hunt but we are going to see justice,” Kafferlin said. “Every county employee is in this with you.”

Kafferlin encouraged residents to “refrain from speculation and second guessing,” stay alert and report tips. “Most importantly, don’t lose heart.”

The county put out a release Tuesday night that covered many of the areas addressed in a story in Wednesday’s Times Observer.

“All policies and procedures related to inmate access and observation are being reviewed, and changes will be made to increase security in that space,” the release states.

It offers some detail into why Burham would have been in the rec yard that late at night: “It’s important to understand that the law has changed in the past five years, and prisoners must have access to yard time and outside exercise. With a facility as small as ours that is close to full, inmates must be taken to the yard in shifts. That happens all day and evening to ensure all inmates have appropriate yard time. Therefore, inmates are legally required to access the yard, and it is crucial for the Prison Board to ensure the facility is secure.”

The statement says while the county awaits the outcome of the criminal investigation “for any notice of internal staff issues, the board is confident in the (jail) administration and workers and their overall commitment to security.

“Working in the jail is a challenging job. The Commissioners and Prison Board support the Warren County Correction Officers.”

After reading the release during Wednesday’s meeting, Eggleston then took questions.

Many of the questions presented couldn’t be answered due to the ongoing investigation. “We do not want to interfere with the investigation that is happening.”

Eggleston did stress that jail staff “did all they could” and that the commissioners remain “confident out staff is the top of the line” based on internal evaluations and reviews from the state. He said the “criminal investigation might show there’s an issue with one or two of them” but clarified that remark by saying that he was speaking “speculatively.”

Many of the questions were directly related to staffing. Eggleston declined to disclose how many employees were working at the jail when the escape occurred but he did say that the jail employs 48 guards. When the escape occurred, there were 87 inmates, a number that has risen to 90 since last Thursday.

How the rec yard operates and how laundry is handled were a couple specific areas that would be under review.

“Every element of their life in the jail is being evaluated,” Eggleston said. He did say there were no short staffing issues on the night of the escape.

“Everybody wants to see Michael Burham caught,” he added. “(Everyone) is going to do everything they can.”

Burham is the prime suspect in the May 11 shooting death of 34-year-old Kala Hodgkin inside her William Street home in Jamestown. Afterward, the former Chautauqua County resident is accused of setting fire to another woman’s car in Jamestown.

Burham then allegedly kidnapped a Warren County couple from their Sheffield home at gunpoint. Using their vehicle, he drove the pair to South Carolina.

The couple was found safe, and Burham was eventually taken into custody after eluding police for days by running through the woods. In June, he was extradited back to New York state where he went before a federal judge in Buffalo.

Burham had been moved to Warren County on June 19.

BRIEF REGULAR MEETING

The commissioners’ regular meeting following the press conference was brief.

It did include unanimous approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for technical assistance into both the “physical construction” and “operational practices” of the jail, Durbin said.

The county’s statement addressed the genesis of that proposal. “In the short term, on the request of the Warren County District Attorney, Rob Greene, the Prison Board and Commissioners will potentially be working with the Pennsylvania State Department of Corrections (PADOC) to thoroughly evaluate the facility and its policies to find weaknesses and recommend improvements,” the county said.

“It’s important to note that this is an added measure as PADOC inspects the facility annually.”