Homicide Suspect Going to Trial on Escape Attempt

After outfitting himself with a heavy-duty pair of gloves and a pair of makeshift shinguards, homicide suspect John McGlinchey III jumped on the fence at and started to climb.

His apparent escape attempt was short-lived though; he cut himself on the razor wire, fell to the ground, and wound up restrained by guards.

That's according to testimony offered Friday in county court, where District Judge Gay Elwell ruled that there was enough evidence to bring the escape charges against McGlinchey -- -- to trial.

McGlinchey, 46, of Bucks County, has been in prison since Christmas 2010, charged with the fatal shooting of at her home in Easton's Highlands neighborhood.

On May 3, according to prosecutors, McGlinchey tried to escape from prison during the end of his exercise period. Corrections Officer Donald Snyder testified Friday that when he called for the inmates to return inside, McGlinchey headed to the fence and began to climb.

"He ran to the fence. It was quick," Snyder said. 

But McGlinchey got stuck in the wiring at the top of the fence and fell to the ground. Another corrections officer, Anthony Eggleston, was waiting on the other side.

Is there any reason an inmate might have wanted to climb the fence, asked Assistant District Attorney John Obrecht.

"No," Snyder said. "Unless they're trying to get out."

Once McGlinchey was restrained, corrections officers discovered he was wearing a pair of heavy-duty rubberized gloves, the kind prison maintenance workers use, testified Lt. Richard Botteri, a prison supervisor.

He said a pat down search revealed that McGlinchey had also strapped two heavy reams of paper to his shins, apparent protection against the fence.