Protection for Witnesses to Helicopter Escape Ordered

A federal judge Friday issued a protective order for three convicts--potential defense witnesses--who saw the daring helicopter escape of lovebirds Samantha Lopez and Ronald McIntosh from federal prison.

“Future harassment of these witnesses will not be tolerated by this court,” U.S. District Judge Eugene Lynch said in a strongly worded protective order.

Defense attorney Geoffrey Hansen said inmates who were potential witnesses at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pleasanton, 40 miles southeast of San Francisco, have been subjected to searches and seizure of personal files.

Guards seized the correspondence of inmates with lawyers about the escape and in one case, demanded urine samples, Hansen said.

The judge rejected a defense request that guards at the minimum-security prison should be held in contempt of court for alleged harassment of the witnesses and the transfer of a fourth potential witness to a West Virginia prison.

Lynch said that searches of cells and the transfer of the one witness, “did not constitute harassment tended to prevent witnesses from testifying at the McIntosh-Lopez trial.

However, he said, prison officials and personnel must refrain from threats, intimidation, physical force or harassment of those who might testify for the defense.

Lynch also said the transfer of inmate Barbara Camp to West Virginia may have been improper and he will order her returned to Pleasanton if it is requested by the defense.

McIntosh, 42, a con man convicted of illegally obtaining $18 million through investment schemes, walked away from the prison last Oct. 28. He hijacked a helicopter and returned on Nov. 5 to scoop up Lopez, 37, a convicted bank robber, out of the prison yard while other inmates cheered and waved them on.

The two were captured 10 days later, about 60 miles away, in a Sacramento shopping center where they were attempting to buy engagement rings.