GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Greensboro Police Department released results from an internal review Wednesday night that offers more detail on the crucial time between Nov. 3 and Nov. 9 when it learned that Lamont Pride was not in the New York Police Department's custody.
Pride, 27, was arrested Monday and charged with murder in the shooting death of New York police veteran Peter Figoski.
But the Greensboro report also leaves questions unanswered about the details of key conversations between Greensboro and New York City police.
Pride, who was wanted in a nonfatal shooting in Greensboro in August, later was arrested twice in New York -- in September on a knife possession charge and in November on drug charges -- and then freed each time.
Greensboro police originally had written arrest warrants for Pride that had ordered in-state extradition. That extradition request was expanded nationwide after Pride's November arrest.
"We all want answers as to why such an event occurred," Greensboro Chief Ken Miller said in a statement on Figoski's death.
"As this situation rapidly unfolded, we shared the concern that a potential breakdown in the system may have contributed to the tragic death of Officer Figoski on Monday."
Miller said his employees performed their duties appropriately.
Greensboro police issued warrants for Pride's arrest on charges relating to the August shooting on Sept. 23 and 26.
The investigating officer and the District Attorney's Office determined that in-state extradition was reasonable, police said.
The officer believed Pride still could be in the area, said Greensboro police spokeswoman Susan Danielsen. Nothing indicated he was a flight risk.
When Pride was arrested on Nov. 3, a New York officer called the Greensboro Police Department's records section listed on the warrants at 10:44 p.m., police said. He told staff that Pride was in custody and asked about the extradition order.
The Greensboro clerk reviewed the records, which were entered into a national criminal database, and confirmed that extradition was in-state only, police said in the statement.
Newsday, citing New York police information, reported that Pride was released on Nov. 4.
Greensboro police said a New York officer called again at 1:43 p.m. Nov. 8, asking "if the no extradition was still valid."
The records clerk believed Pride was still in New York police's custody. The clerk then contacted the Greensboro detective, who discussed extradition with the New York officer.
Greensboro police amended the extradition to include any state that day, entering it into the national database at 3:08 p.m. The records clerk called New York police and the King County District Attorney's Office minutes later, alerting them to the change.
But the Greensboro detective said Wednesday that he was unsure when he learned that Pride was no longer in custody, Danielsen said.
His notes show that he called the King County district attorney on Nov. 9 to discuss Pride's release. Danielsen didn't know the details of that exchange.
Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or [email protected]
Copyright 2011 - News & Record, Greensboro, N.C.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
