Suspect in prison break gets look at life behind bars / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, March 4, 2006

Dog trainer not likely to post bond immediately

March 4, 2006

She's accused of helping mastermind a jail break, and now Toby Young will be spending at least a little more time behind bars herself, her attorney said Friday.

Young, the 48-year-old prison volunteer charged with aiding and abetting aggravated escape and aiding a felon, is being held in the Leavenworth County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Young's attorney, Jim Yoakum, said after a brief court appearance Friday morning that bond wouldn't be posted anytime soon.

"I don't anticipate her bonding out anytime prior to the next court hearing, March 17," he said.

Yoakum told a pack of reporters outside the Leavenworth County Justice Center, "You guys can go home - you don't have to camp out."

Young appeared Friday with Yoakum before Leavenworth County District Judge Frederick Stewart, who set a scheduling hearing in the case for 9 a.m. March 17.

Young will not contest the bond, her attorney said.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Toby Young, a dog trainer accused of helping a convicted killer escape from Lansing Correctional Facility, appears Friday morning in Leavenworth County District Court. Her bond has been set at $100,000, but her attorney says she probably will remain in jail for the time being. Her next court date is March 17.

"Given the level of the alleged crime and the notoriety of the case, we really felt the court made a fair decision on the $100,000 bond, so we're not going to dispute that," Yoakum told reporters.

Yoakum, who said he had known Young's family "my whole life," said he had talked briefly with his client.

"She's doing good. She's glad to be back in Kansas," Yoakum said.

Young was the president of the Safe Harbor Prison Dog program at the prison. Authorities say that on Feb. 12 other inmates in the program loaded a dog crate containing convicted killer John M. Manard into the Safe Harbor van, and that Young drove the van out of the prison. Young's familiarity with a guard allowed the van to leave the prison grounds without being searched.

Lansing prison escape

Related content about the Lansing prison escape

Manard and Young eluded authorities for 12 days, staying in a cabin in rural Alpine, Tenn., before their capture Feb. 24.

Authorities have said Young was intimately involved in the escape, the planning for which, they added, dated to late December.

Yoakum declined comment about whether Manard had manipulated Young into helping with the escape, but noted Young "has no criminal history. She's never been in trouble with the law before."

Members of Young's family were in the audience of the packed courtroom but declined comment after the hearing.

Yoakum said the family was "100 percent" behind Young. "They're just glad that she's safe," Yoakum said. "She was in a very dangerous situation for quite some time."

Young faces up to 32 months in prison if convicted, but Yoakum said if the case reached that point, he would seek probation for his client.

"If there's some kind of a conviction or if there's some kind of plea, absolutely we would argue for probation," he said.

Manard, meanwhile, has been returned to the Lansing Correctional Facility and placed in administrative segregation. Deborah Owens, a spokeswoman for Leavenworth County Atty. Frank Kohl, said Friday that Manard had not yet been formally charged in the escape and that no court date for his case had been set.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Relatives of Toby Young gather at the Leavenworth County District Court after Young's appearance Friday. From left are Young's mother and father, Peggy and Jim Phalen, and Young's sister, Julie.

Manard is serving a life sentence for the 1996 murder of Donald England during a carjacking in Johnson County.

Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Bill Miskell said Manard will be alone in his cell and allowed out one hour a day, five days a week. The rest of the time he will be locked up and allowed to talk only to his attorney and clergyman. Miskell said Manard could have 10 years added to his sentence.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Discussion

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4 March 2006
at 8:25 a.m.

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jackyboy (Anonymous) says…

“She was in a very dangerous situation for quite some time” Yeah, Right - screwing her boyfriend and playing guitar. I notice they had no pictures of her husband and sons and she couldn't make immediate bail -GOOD!!!
4 March 2006
at 8:46 a.m.

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Jane (Anonymous) says…

Sounds like you have issues jackyboy.
4 March 2006
at 8:59 a.m.

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smitty (Anonymous) says…

Jackyboy has made an obvious observation. No bail and no husband or children present, only an embarassed set of parents. Dad hangs head while Mom looks on with great concern in her eyes for Dad.

I sure as heck wouldn't post bond for a mate or child who had done what she has done but would expect she pay for her mistakes and show some sincerity to the betrayed husband and children. Notice that even the parents have not posted bond.

Tough love is the best way for her to redeem herself with her loved ones. Jail time is the repayment to society.
4 March 2006
at 7:06 p.m.

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srj (Anonymous) says…

Shocked lifetime Network has not put up the bail just for the movie rights. I already know who plays the killer, Seth Green. Any ideas for the her?

BTW, everyone seems to agree she going to get 2 years. She's just lucky no one got hurt.
4 March 2006
at 9:56 p.m.

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bugmenot (Anonymous) says…

^^^As for her spouse- maybe thats why she left?

Why, cause he won't support his wife who took money and risked everything to break out an inmate to run off with him with their sex toys. I doubt you will find a single person to support their mate in a situation like that.
4 March 2006
at 11:23 p.m.

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Shardwurm (Anonymous) says…

I'll bet the sister is saying:

“I told you I was better but you always loved HER more!”
6 March 2006
at 2:41 p.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

On the other hand, this gal is hard wired this way anad with luck her hopefully so-to-be-ex-husband will never allow contact with the child again.

Even a few months in the can will not change this gal and there is no excuse for her behaviour.

Probation my pattotie!

Thanks.

Marion.