Prison Officials On Leave After New York Escape

Police stand over David Sweat after he was shot and captured on Sunday. Authorities say he has told them he and Richard Matt performed a dry run of their escape the day before they broke out.

AP

Twelve officials at an upstate New York prison have been placed on leave, as authorities investigate how two convicted killers managed to escape from the facility on June 6.

Among those placed on leave are Superintendent Steven Racette, of the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, and Deputy Superintendent Stephen Brown, according to multiple media accounts.

The reports say the surviving escapee David Sweat has been sharing details of the break out, including that he and inmate Richard Matt conducted a dry run the night before the escape. Matt was shot and killed by law enforcement Friday. Sweat was shot and wounded two days later.

On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appeared on WCNY's Capitol Pressroom, and told host Susan Arbetter some of what Sweat has been sharing with authorities:

"Cuomo confirmed to the Capitol Pressroom host that the original escape plan for Richard Matt and David Sweat was travel to Mexico with Joyce Mitchell, the prison worker who allegedly helped facilitate the escape. Additionally, Sweat told authorities that he and Matt split up about five days ago because, according to Cuomo, 'Matt was slowing Sweat down.'

'We still have to do investigations on Mitchell and the corrections officer,' Gov. Cuomo told Arbetter, noting that both will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."