Jail investigating possible early release of inmate charged with attack at UW days later

KING COUNTY — Command staff members at King County's Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention are investigating whether an inmate was mistakenly released from jail early.

That inmate is charged with trying to rape a woman days later.

Multiple sources inside the jail tell KIRO 7 that 41-year-old Ernest Terrill Parnell should not have been out of custody on May 4, when he allegedly locked a woman inside a room at the Health Sciences Building on the University of Washington campus and tried to rape her.

Parnell has been charged with attempted rape, felony harassment and assault in connection with that incident, and has been behind bars ever since.

King County Superior Court records show Parnell had been released from the King County jail on April 29, after pleading guilty to violating a no-contact order.

He was sentenced to 364 days, but most of that sentence was suspended.  After serving 109 days behind bars, Parnell was given credit for time served and was released.

On Thursday, the director of King County's Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention confirmed an investigation has been launched.

<br/> William Hayes told KIRO 7, "It appears that there was a bad release but it is important to me that we follow our investigative process when incidents like this occur."

Hayes said investigators are gathering reports from jail staff and he expects more to be known early next week.

"We are taking this very seriously and intend to find out what occurred," Hayes told KIRO 7.

Cox Media Group