Woman Says Officials May Have Aided Killer’s Escape

A woman who has started a legal defense fund to free convicted game warden killer Claude Dallas said Tuesday that officials may have aided Dallas’ prison escape to get more money for the beleaguered Idaho prison system.

“I don’t know who gave him the bolt cutters, but there’s been some speculation,” Laura Miller said.

Dallas, 36, the subject of two books and a television movie, was serving a 30-year sentence for killing Idaho fish and game officers Conley Elms and Bill Pogue when he escaped from Idaho State Prison on Easter Sunday in 1986. Dallas, a cowboy, trapper and poacher, was arrested March 9 by the FBI as he left a convenience store in Riverside.

Awaiting Trial

He is now back in Idaho State Prison, awaiting trial on the escape charge, which could add five years to his sentence.

His escape came only two days after the Idaho Legislature adjourned without resolving the controversial crowding issue at the prison.

“There’s been speculation he was helped out by someone on the inside, and I don’t mean by one of the inmates,” Miller said. “Maybe someone said, ‘Hey, let’s get some headlines. Who’s the most famous person, who’s not going to hurt anyone.’ ”

Idaho Corrections Director Al Murphy denied the allegation.

“That’s asinine,” Murphy said. “That’s ridiculous. I’ve also heard that aliens had taken over the prison.”

Miller, 35, a theater director in Boise, started the Claude Dallas Legal Defense Fund and has raised about $3,000 since he was arrested.

“My main point is that he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and he’s being treated like he was convicted of murder,” Miller said. “There are lots of people on the streets convicted of that.”

Miller she has been criticized and has received hate mail and lost friends because of her stand.

She said many of Dallas’ supporters in Idaho were pressured to drop their support of the killer.

“What we had was a couple people who frankly chickened out after a lot of pressure was put on them personally and professionally,” Miller said.

Cites Jury’s Intention

She claimed that the jury in Dallas’ trial, which deliberated for 45 hours--the longest in Idaho history--intended that he serve only three or four years on the convictions.

“He served that long before he escaped. He’s paid his debt to society,” Miller said.

Miller, who met Dallas for the first time briefly at his preliminary hearing on the escape charge last week, said she has corresponded with him since his return to prison.

Dallas’ lawyer in the first trial, Bill Mauk, said after last week’s hearing that he would need at least $15,000 to defend Dallas again.