By Taylor Hintz
Standard-Examiner
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Corrections says an investigation it conducted found there were communication and processing errors in the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole’s decision to release an ex-convict before he allegedly killed Unified Police Officer Douglas Barney.
Cory Lee Henderson was held at the prison after being arrested Oct. 3, 2015, on drug and weapons charges, a news release from UDC said. However, a Nov. 4 parole violation hearing resulted in Henderson’s release to a drug treatment center called Fortitude Treatment Center. The Associated Press reported that parole board member Greg Johnson said the board didn’t know about the weapon and drug charges when the decision was made — the group only thought Henderson had violated his parole at the time of the hearing.
The Utah Department of Corrections’ investigation discovered that communication errors between an Adult Probation and Parole supervisor and Henderson’s parole agent led to those charges being stricken.
TIMELINE
Oct. 3, 2015 — Henderson was arrested by West Valley City police on drug and weapons charges. Sometime afterward, an on-duty supervisor with AP&P misidentified the agency that arrested Henderson and did not “clearly communicate” the arrest date to Henderson’s agent.
Nov. 2, 2015 — Henderson’s agent told a Board of Pardons and Parole hearing officer he could not locate the weapons and drug charges and asked that information to be stricken from Henderson’s warrant, which was amended following his arrest to include those charges.
Nov. 4, 2015 — The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole held a violation hearing for Henderson without the information about Henderson’s Oct. 3 arrest. Sometime later, the board released Henderson to a state-run drug treatment center.
Nov. 25, 2015 — West Valley police sought to have federal charges filed against Henderson, and a federal detainer was filed with the Utah Department of Corrections. This usually triggers an automatic notification to the Board of Pardons and Parole when it’s electronically scanned into UDC’s database. However, it was not scanned until Dec. 18.
Dec. 18, 2015 — Henderson left the Fortitude Treatment Center. A temporary hold listing was requested for him that evening.
Dec. 21, 2015 — A fugitive warrant was issued for Henderson’s arrest.
Jan. 17, 2016 — Police say Henderson and a woman were involved in a traffic accident with another vehicle and fled the scene, to which police responded. Police say Unified officer Douglas Barney was shot and killed by Henderson in a shootout with police. Police later shot and killed Henderson.
UDC said in a press release that it has taken action to improve communication with outside law enforcement agencies, including AP&P, to document arrest information. AP&P supervisors will be required to keep a thorough, time-sensitive log of contacts from other agencies, and will be required to enter that information into UDC’s electronic database upon receipt.
Records specialists will also be required to immediately scan federal detainers into UDC’s database. UDC is also reviewing operational and safety procedures at the Fortitude Treatment Center.
UDC is still considering whether disciplinary action should be taken against individuals directly involved in Henderson’s case.
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