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Before two murderers walked free using forged documents, the scam had been tried 5 other times. Now, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, state lawmakers are applauding changes to release policies but asking if officials should have seen the writing on the wall.

When murders Joseph Jenkins and Charles Walker were released from prison on forged documents in September and October, police were already actively investigating another failed escape attempt. FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey told lawmakers that Jeffrey Forbes was caught in May trying to use forged paperwork. “Documents were actually generated, constructed within the walls of the prison,” says Gerald Bailey, FDLE Commissioner.

Lawmakers listened to police, corrections officials, court clerks, and the judge whose signature was forged. “Was lifted off some orders that I entered in the case of the State of Florida Vs. Casey Anthony,” says Judge Belvin Perry, Chief Judge.

The bottom line is that the officials knew there had been an attempt to use fraudulent documents before the escapes and did nothing to change their system.

Afterwards Judge Belvin Perry was grilled over why steps weren’t taken by the court and clerk in Orange County when police began investigating Jeffery Forbes’ attempt to use forged documents. “We all would like to go back with hindsight and try to do things differently,” says Judge Perry.

There are also questions over how the two men who escaped were able to make their plans from inside prison using forbidden cell phones. Prison Chief Crews says it is a big and continuing problem. “We know we got a few dirty officers, I want you to keep in mind, that’s a very, very, very small percent,” says Michael Crews, correction secretary.

A smuggled cell phone could bring up to 6 hundred dollars, 41 hundred have been seized since January.