ANAMOSA, Iowa — Trial has been set for two prison inmates accused of using a hammer to kill a prison nurse and correctional officer during an escape attempt in March.
Station WHO-TV reports that Michael Dutcher and Thomas Woodard Jr. are scheduled to go on trial June 22 in Jones County for the March 23 deaths of nurse Lorena Schulte and correctional officer Robert McFarland.
Authorities say the workers were killed during a failed escape attempt by Dutcher and Woodard. Both inmates were serving time for armed robbery convictions at the time of the killings, and both pleaded not guilty in April to two counts each of first-degree murder and other charges.
The Anamosa State Penitentiary is a maximum and medium security prison that has about 950 offenders, according to the Department of Corrections. There are about 320 staff members.
Just about a month after the deadly attack, another officer was assaulted by an inmate. The Iowa Department of Corrections said the officer was put into a chokehold while she was handing out medications.