Prisoner Marcus Anderson was being transported from Jessup to Baltimore Circuit Court on Tuesday when he managed to escape from a 19-year veteran of the Corrections Department. How, you may ask? Quite easily, it seems, based on the details that were revealed in the courtroom yesterday.

Judge Charles Bernstein proceeded with Anderson’s trial for illegal possession of a firearm, even though the defendant was nowhere to be found. During the trial, corrections officers were asked to provide details surrounding Anderson’s escape. I have to say, it almost seems like they wanted him to get away. Here’s how it went down:

1. Officer Deborah Barron (with 19 years of experience) picked Anderson up at Jessup and drove him a half-block to meet the transport unit that was supposed to take Anderson to Baltimore. Barron was late; the transport unit was gone.

2. Barron called her supervisor to tell him of the situation. He responded, “Oh Lord. Ok,” and hung up the phone. Barron interpreted that as permission to transport Anderson herself.

3. Barron decided to tranport Anderson in an unmodified van without cages or handcuffs. She let Anderson, 6′3″ and 220 lbs, sit next to her — unrestrained — in the passenger seat.

4. The van had no radio and Barron had no cell phone.

5. At a red light at Baltimore and South Streets, Anderson simply opened the door, jumped out, and ran away.

6. Flustered because the light turned green and cars were honking, Barron decided not to chase Anderson and instead proceeded to the courthouse garage, I assume parked the van, and only then informed a sheriff about the situation.

7. Not surprisingly, by this time Anderson was long gone.

The judge was obviously annoyed by the story, asking whether Barron gave Anderson “bus tokens, too?” He then proceeded to say: “If I were a young enterprising criminal, I’d come to Baltimore to set up my practice. This is the place to be. This is the Promised Land.”

We can only hope that this was the first time in Barron’s 19-year career (or any other corrections officer, for that matter) that procedures were not followed. But I have a sneaking suspicion this wasn’t an isolated incident. Any thoughts on this tale of incompetence?

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