Arizona woman sent to prison for helping inmate escape jail

A Kingman, Ariz., woman who purchased handcuff keys and placed them in a courtroom to help her husband escape from jail in January has been sentenced to prison.

Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle imposed a 16-month prison term Wednesday for Ashley Morrison. Under a plea deal, Morrison, 24, was convicted of conspiracy to commit escape and of attempted forgery in an unrelated case.

She got into Carlisle’s courtroom and put handcuff keys in chairs where inmates are seated before their hearings, authorities said.

Darren Morrison, 26, retrieved one of the keys and used it to break loose when he was being escorted from the courthouse for transport back to jail on Jan. 18. He was recaptured 5½ days later and is expected to enter a separate plea agreement soon to resolve his case.

Defense attorney Vince Iannone said Ashley Morrison is divorcing the man who totally dominated her and directed her role in the getaway.

Carlisle countered that she could have escaped the domination by leaving him in jail and not helping him escape.