When the early morning news programs had first come on air their reporters and cameras were only allowed outside the prison gates. The initial accounts of what was going on were patchy; there was talk of a breakout, a fight, an all out riot. No one seemed to have a real handle on what was happening, but there was no doubt that something serious was going down. The tip-off came from Officer Sandona, who'd hawked the story out the moment he'd come off his shift at the penitentiary. Having received $1,000 from the arresting officer to ensure Neal got 'lost' in the system it occurred to him that more could to be made from the whole affair. He had offered to get a cameraman inside for a cool $10,000 and when the local news station jumped at the chance to one-up the big networks, he was quick to deliver. The action was already escalating by this point and Sandona himself had no idea how out of control it was soon to become.
At first the cameraman had positioned himself on the opposite walkway, trying to take in all that was going on. But after being hit by a faucet, thrown with (literally) stunning accuracy and force, he opted to abandon his equipment in a locked cell and retreat to the safety of the guards' office. He happily sat back, nursing his wound as the camera continued to record, unfiltered, the ensuing chaos in front of Neal's cell. The news station ran the footage uncensored, claiming that it had been too dangerous for anyone to retrieve the camera. Why they hadn't simply cut the feed they were less specific about. When it was all over and they had been thrown out of the facility, the cameraman's injury served as a convenient explanation for his amnesia regarding the name of the officer who had granted such inappropriate access to the prison. The news station had been swift to bring their legal boys in to threaten suit over the now 'extensive' injury and the custodial powers that be immediately agreed to drop any prosecution regarding the illegal access. It was a win-win for all concerned; apart from Neal, that is.
The public's appetite for the salacious footage of Neal's death was apparently insatiable, and the images raced through the Internet like wildfire. Within a couple of hours there had been over a million hits and it quickly became the most viewed link of the day. By evening, it was the lead story on numerous crime talk-shows. They sanctimoniously berated the local news station for having aired Caffrey's demise, all the while keeping the images up in the background. Sandona rued not having negotiated a more lucrative deal.
Officer Olsen, however, could not have been happier; as far as he was concerned it had been a bargain. The girl had been forced to watch over and over, as Neal was hoisted up by the makeshift noose and left struggling while the fight carried on around him. In contrast to the increasing action, Neal kicked less and less wildly. The final, feeble twitches would be forever seared on her psyche.
"Next time you try and make a fool of me, it'll be you swinging up there!" Officer Olsen had threatened her with ill concealed glee.
TBC
Your feed-back is appreciated, and will (per Mozzie) be taken under advisement!