County Jail Inmate Released By Mistake

A Spokane County Jail inmate was released by mistake Friday, Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Jail officers released James Sweatt Jr., 44, about noon Friday, believing that no charges had been filed against him in his Jan. 24 arrest for first- and second-degree burglary, Deputy Dave Reagan said.

But charges had been filed.

An inmate can only legally be held for 72 hours without being charged.

Reagan cited computer failure at the jail for the oversight. The computers, which are used to keep track of inmate information, had been off-line since Wednesday, he said.

Jail officers are currently booking inmates through paper documents. When they checked to see if paperwork for Sweatt had been filed, there wasn’t any, so he was released, Reagan said.

Sweatt is described as black, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 160 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information should call Crime Check at 456-2233.

, DataTimes