Three Florida Prison Workers Allegedly Planned To Kill Black Inmate
GAINESVILLE, Fla., April 2 (UPI) — Three former employees at the Florida Department of Corrections — all members of the Ku Klux Klan — were arrested Thursday for allegedly plotting to kill an African-American inmate after his release from prison.
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A statement from the Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s office said the three men planned to kill the former inmate in retaliation for a fight between the man and one of the DOC employees.
Thomas Jordan Driver, 25, David Elliot Moran, 47, and Charles Thomas Newcomb, 42, each face one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
DOC Secretary Julie Jones fired Driver and Moran following their arrest. Newcomb, a former employee, was described in court records as the leader of the Columbia County, Fla., KKK.
“Our Department has zero tolerance for racism or prejudice of any kind,” Jones said. “The actions of these individuals are unacceptable and do not, in any way, represent the thousands of good, hardworking and honorable correctional officers employed at the Department of Corrections.”
The three men allegedly planned to take the former inmate to a lake and make it appear as though he drowned while fishing. They allegedly planned to inject him with insulin and took a 9mm handgun as backup, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Bondi told reporters that despite decreasing KKK enrollment, racism is still prevalent in Florida.
“We will never tolerate nor ever remain silent over the violence of hate embedded in prejudice in our state,” she said.
Police were alerted to the plot by an FBI informant.
