Kingman private prison escapee appeals convictions

One of the inmates who escaped a private prison near Kingman is set to go before the state Court of Appeals. 

John McCluskey was serving 15 years for attempted murder. He and two other inmates broke out of prison in 2010 after his fiancée Casslyn Welch tossed wire cutters over the facility’s fence.

They were eventually caught at a campsite in eastern Arizona. McCluskey was convicted of escaping prison, kidnapping two truck drivers, as well as aggravated assault and other charges, but he wants those convictions overturned.

The appellate court will consider whether a Mohave County judge abused his power by refusing McCluskey’s motion to strike four jurors, which his attorneys say caused prejudice. The appeal also argues the lower court violated a rule against double punishment by imposing consecutive terms for weapons charges.

McCluskey still faces federal charges for the deaths of an Oklahoma couple killed in New Mexico.


Pledge Now
Give Monthly
Facebook logo
Twitter logo

Please read our Contributor Confidentiality Policy and the KJZZ Ethics and Practices guidelines. KJZZ supports Equal Employment Opportunities and works against discrimination in employment. For more information, please see KJZZ's Employment and EEO Information page.
For questions or comments about this website, please contact the KJZZ webmaster. For general comments or questions see the Contact KJZZ page for a listing of contacts by topic. Please note: Station policy mandates that listeners who win on-air giveaways on this station are not eligible to win again for 30 days.
Email regarding NPR's coverage, ethics, and funding can be sent to the NPR Ombudsman, who maintains an informative web page. For comments or concerns regarding NPR programs, listeners with a general inquiry may send an email to nprhelp@npr.org

KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College, and Maricopa Community Colleges.
Copyright© 2013 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD