Slain DOC officer's widow won't meet with governor
The widow of Lt. Steven Floyd Sr., the corrections officer killed during the deadly prison takeover Feb. 1 at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, said she has been "threatened by lawyers for the state" demanding the repayment of her husband's funeral expenses, according to a statement released by her attorneys.
Saundra M. Floyd also said in the statement, issued by the Neuberger Firm, that she has decided not to meet with Gov. John Carney this week.
"Today the Governor's office called me and asked if he could stop by this Friday to see how my family is doing," she said in the statement dated Wednesday. "But actions speak louder than words, so my answer to that is no."
The family said they have not been told how Floyd died and want Carney or someone from the state to tell them.
"Just reply privately or publicly to my demand for the release of the autopsy of my husband," she said in her statement. "How did he die? Did he suffer greatly, or did he pass quickly? Was he tortured? Was he stabbed 100 times, as we have heard? Did he die in a great pool of blood, as is rumored? Please end our suffering and help us move on. Overrule the State's many lawyers and address our suffering. Respect the memory of my dear husband and my family that much."
A Carney spokesman, Jonathan Starkey, said it would be inappropriate to publicly address the questions posed by Wilmington attorney Thomas S. Neuberger, who along with the firm of Jacobs & Crumplar, represent Floyd's family and estate.
"Mr. Neuberger has already suggested he plans to sue the state and seems intent on trying his case in the press," Starkey said.
Starkey said Carney had hoped to meet with the Floyd family to check in and offer his continued thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. "He still hopes to do so," Starkey said.
Wilmington attorney Thomas Crumplar said lawyers for the state met with Floyd's widow and asked her to sign workers' compensation documents. This occurred a day before the Floyd family retained Crumplar and Neuberger.
After being retained, Crumplar said he asked the state for more time to review the documents.
"I immediately told the state to put a hold on all the workers' comp," he said. "And in their responses, they want her to pay back the funeral bills."
Crumplar said the funeral costs amount to about $24,000.
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Last week, Floyd's family delivered a letter to Carney's office asking the governor to fix the state's "broken" Department of Correction and for justice to be served in Floyd's death.
That letter was delivered on March 6 by Floyd's attorneys, who are considering filing a civil rights violation lawsuit against former Govs. Ruth Ann Minner and Jack Markell and senior prison staff claiming that the state failed to implement necessary changes to its prisons. Her attorneys also represent two corrections officers held hostage during the siege and three maintenance workers who managed to barricade themselves in a basement after inmates took over Building C.
In last week's three-page letter, Neuberger said that while Steven Floyd cared about the DOC, the state and prison system did not feel the same about him.
While Floyd put his trust in previous governors, that letter said that the lieutenant and other corrections officers were not provided basic tools and resources needed to do their jobs in a "snake pit." Because of that failure, Floyd paid the "ultimate price."
Neuberger points to the 2004 abduction and sexual assault of a Vaughn prison counselor by serial rapist Scott A. Miller.
An internal report filed by the state did not say what caused the July 12, 2004, hostage situation that ended in Miller's shooting death. But then-Gov. Minner commissioned a task force to look at security lapses. Minner's task force issued its report in February 2005 blaming the incident on DOC's management and making dozens of recommendations to improve the safety of employees and inmates.
The state DOC is authorized to hire 1,802 correctional officers, but as of this week employed 1,669.
On Monday, Carney said he wants to add 75 corrections officers and buy new safety equipment for prison staffers. In the short term, Carney has authorized $340,000 to purchase protective gear and communications equipment. His administration also has increased the frequency of random security sweeps at Vaughn by specialized teams.
His administration said it hopes hiring more officers will cut down on overtime – employee shortages have forced officers to work lengthy hours beyond their standard work week, which both costs the state money and leads to fatigue and diminished morale.
Carney also announced that an independent review of the 18-hour hostage crisis will start this week. That inquiry will be led by retired Supreme Court Justice Henry duPont Ridgely and retired Family Court Judge William L. Chapman Jr.
Carney had originally said the review would start after State Police and the DOC finished their criminal investigations, but on Monday he said the "duration of the criminal investigation and his sense of urgency surrounding this issue" spurred him to go ahead with the review.
Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.