SEATTLE — An internal investigation has determined that 41-year old Ernest Parnell was mistakenly released early from the King County Detention Center in downtown Seattle on April 29, as KIRO 7 first reported.
Days after "procedural errors led to the release in error", Parnell allegedly tried to rape a woman in the health sciences building at the University of Washington.
According to William Hayes, Director of King County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, a follow-up investigation has been launched, and a new audit system will be implemented "to ensure this does not happen again."
"Procedural errors led to the release in error. Information and reports have been obtained from all staff involved which have been reviewed and forwarded to our Internal Investigations Unit for follow up investigation. Since the release, the Department has taken or plans on taking the following actions.
Clarity in protocol was provided to ensure that all commitments are booked at the time the Department receives the document from the courts.
All current policies and procedures will be reviewed relating to current release practices.
The Department will be implementing an audit system where a supervisor will review release files on a routine basis, ensuring staff are processing paperwork correctly.
The development of a check list will occur to ensure that paperwork is accurately processed.
Our goal is to never make these kind of errors that could impact the community but it does not minimize that fact that an error occurred due to a breakdown in our process. We will take the steps necessary to ensure this does not happen again."
William Hayes, Director
Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention
Cox Media Group
