Pubdate: Fri, 17 May 2002
Source: Big Sandy News, The (KY)
Copyright: 2002 The Big Sandy News
Contact:  http://www.bigsandynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1975
Author: Chris McDavid, Johnson County Bureau

INMATE SEARCH IGNITES DOPE FEUD

PAINTSVILLE - Regional jail officials blame court bailiffs with allowing a 
Johnson County prisoner access to drugs during a district court hearing 
Wednesday, but Sheriff Bill Witten says the inmate had to have gotten the 
drugs from jail.

Dolphia Kelly, 27, of Staffordsville, was charged Wednesday with promoting 
contraband after jail officials found suspected crystal meth and a 
make-shift smoking device in his possession after the court hearing.

"It would be virtually impossible for (Kelly) to get the drugs at jail," 
supervisor Rodney Patrick said, noting that the inmate was searched when he 
was lodged in jail and detained "in the hole" until he was taken to court.

"If that's true, why do they need a drug dog," the sheriff said.

Patrick said Kelly was "segregated" from others after drugs were allegedly 
discovered in his possession at the time of his arrest.

"Them boys, that night, thoroughly searched him," he said. "They found a 
whole lot of stuff...a little bit of everything."

Witten said jail officials may claim that Kelly didn't have the drugs when 
he left the facility, but noted that Kelly's documented statement to police 
officers involves the inmate finding the smoking device in the drunk tank, 
where he was being held.

Sgt. H.D. Dotson, who charged Kelly with promoting contraband, said the 
prisoner gave a different explanation for obtaining the suspected crystal 
meth. Kelly reportedly said in his statement that he got the drug from a 
local woman, who was temporarily detained in custody Wednesday. Kelly said 
he asked the woman for a cigarette and she gave him a partial pack, which 
he says contained the drug.

"It didn't happen," the sheriff said. "The male and female prisoners are 
kept separate at all times when they're awaiting their court appearances 
and are never left unattended."

The sheriff said he had talked with bailiffs on duty Wednesday and they 
confirmed that Kelly could not have gotten the drug from the woman, who was 
later released while at court.

"I've repeatedly asked the jail to put inmates in jumpsuits," the sheriff 
said, adding that drugs were confiscated from Kelly when he was arrested 
early Wednesday morning.

"They turned around and gave him his street clothes for the court appearance."

Witten said all inmates should be given jail-issue clothes during their 
stays at the facility, because drugs and/or paraphernalia can be hidden in 
clothing. The sheriff said keeping inmates from personal belongings, such 
as clothing, will help curb the flow of drugs in the detention center.

When asked to respond to the sheriff's contention that Kelly must have had 
the drugs when he left the jail, Patrick said he was "not with nothing 
negative here at the jail. "We do the best job we can do," he continued, 
adding that Witten's statement would give the jail a "black eye." "You tell 
me what's good written on the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center," Patrick 
said, citing a recent Big Sandy News story about a controversial 5 percent 
across-the-board pay raise for jail employees.

"If we get a raise, they run that in the paper," he said. Kelly was 
arraigned in Johnson District Court Wednesday for the charge of promoting 
contraband. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 22.
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