Dangerous inmate wants new prison

Wednesday, July 25, 2001 | 8:37 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- David Wayne, once considered one of the most dangerous inmates in the state prison system, is complaining that officials are reneging on a promise to transfer him outside Nevada after he helped expose a corrupt guard in Ely.

Wayne, through an intermediary, maintains he was promised a transfer to a federal prison after he testified about Officer Erik Jacobs, who was accused of smuggling in bullets and a handcuff key to convicts.

Frank A. Sweeney, a friend of Wayne, said the inmate is being "tormented by vengeful guards who resent his having 'ratted' on a fellow correction officer." And the promised transfer hasn't been made to assure Wayne's safety, Sweeney said.

But Glen Whorton, a spokesman for the prison system, said there was never any promise of a transfer to a federal prison.

Officials have been trying to place Wayne at an out-of-state prison but "nobody is obligated to take him," Whorton said.

Wayne was in an out-of-state prison once, but he was returned to Nevada, Whorton said, adding, "It's difficult to shop him around. He is not an attractive candidate."

Deputy Attorney General Kevin Briggs, who prosecuted the guard, said the prison is doing everything it can to find Wayne another prison.

"Nobody has agreed to take him," Briggs said.

Wayne reportedly tipped off prison officials about Jacobs and then testified at the Justice Court preliminary hearing. Jacobs ended up pleading guilty to a gross misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to aid a prisoner and is serving a one-year term in the county jail in Ely.

Briggs said that when he became involved in the case he promised to "do what we could" for him.

Sweeney, who met Wayne in 1983 while they were both confined to a prison in Springfield, Mo., now lives in Demarest, N.J.

Sweeney said Wayne didn't spill the beans on the guard "out of the goodness of his heart." The inmate wanted out of the Nevada prison and that was the deal, he said. "But they (prison officials) are not keeping their word," he said.

Wayne is presently housed in the prison hospital in Ely.

Sweeney said one guard recently passed an organ donor card under Wayne's cell door, which indicated his life might be in danger.

Briggs said he "highly doubts" Wayne is being threatened. Whorton said if Wayne feels threatened, he should report it to his caseworker.

Wayne was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the wounding of a bartender in a robbery in Washoe County.

He completed that sentence in 1990. But during his term he staged three hostage-taking incidents at the prison, escaped at least once from custody and was involved in another attempt.