X-Ray Reveals Cell Phone Inside Death Row Inmate

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(November 14, 2008)--Texas prison officials have recovered yet another contraband cell phone from a death row inmate, or more accurately from inside a death row inmate.

In the second seizure this week since a systemwide lockdown and search for contraband ended, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officers found a phone inside the body of condemned inmate Hank Skinner.

Two cell phone SIM cards were found hidden in Skinner's Bible, which led fficers to believe he also had a phone.

When he denied that he did, he was taken to an X-ray machine at the Polunsky Unit outside Livingston and the X-ray revealed the phone was found in his rectum.

Skinner has been on death row since 1995 for a triple slaying in Pampa in the Texas Panhandle.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: thisguy on Nov 18, 2008 at 12:42 PM
how'd he get it up there? most ppl in jail try not to drop the soap...seems like he wanted to drop it all the time...

Posted by: uh-huh Location: waco on Nov 18, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Bob, it gives a new meaning to "reach out and touch someone"

Posted by: JB Location: Waco on Nov 18, 2008 at 12:30 PM
wonder how he planned on answering his calls? or how did he get inside him? never mind, I don't think I wanna know ;)

Posted by: george Location: kosse on Nov 18, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Puts a new meaning of blowing out your a**. I guess his talk is just hot air.

Posted by: UKNOW Location: HERE on Nov 18, 2008 at 10:32 AM
HAVE TO SAY IT ...... TALKING OUT HIS ____!

Posted by: Yep Location: Cove on Nov 18, 2008 at 07:27 AM
Hey Bob, gives a whole new meaning to the term "talking out yer $$$" too...lol

Posted by: Bob Location: Belton on Nov 17, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Gives a whole new meaning to the term "long distance"....

Posted by: Just sayin is all Location: ft hood on Nov 17, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Can you hear me now? If you can, please pull me out of yer butt

Posted by: poopchute Location: texas on Nov 17, 2008 at 12:51 PM
why am i NOT suprised. well, at least i know where some of my tax $$ went to this week - a friggin rectal x-ray for a dadgum death row inmate.

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 17, 2008 at 09:58 AM
What is it going to take for everyone to see that Texas officers are UNDER paid!? This is a never ending story. When they can actually pay their officer a decent pay check they might actually get some decent officers. Until then expect what you pay for !!! X-Officer

Posted by: just my 2 Location: Gatesville on Nov 16, 2008 at 11:32 PM
to all of ya'll who think he got it from visititation you are wrong. The inmates on death row do not get contact visits and they do not get time outside the unit. So the only way they are getting these phones are from staff, not only officers but medical and other ppl. The inmates find crooked staff members and pay them through family or through their books. I know it sounds bad but hey Texas is the lowest paid state agency in the US. As an ex-officer I would never bring anything in because it puts my family at risk but to some people money is tight and the going rate for a cell phone is 4000 dollars or prolly more now since this lockdown. And also you would be suprised at the stuff pulled out of these inmates coke cans full of drug and so many other things and yes I said pulled cause the do not wait for bowel movements it comes out right then. OUCH!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 16, 2008 at 07:52 PM
fire the WARDENS where these phones have been found. They are WEAK and the inmates know they can get away with anything!! who is the WARDEN of the polunsky unit that houses death row???

Posted by: Network Location: Rectum on Nov 16, 2008 at 01:17 PM
Can you hear me now?

Posted by: Heart-Of-Texas Location: Waco on Nov 16, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Well 'We' have kept him on Death Row for 13 years at $50,000 a year ,$650,000 dollars worth. Now this happens It only costs $85.00 to Lethal-Inject!! Have You got your moneys worth????(Can You Hear Me Now??). Back-To-The-Future!!

Posted by: KR Location: SUPER SEG on Nov 16, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Visitation should not be allowed on any maxium security unit period...Especially on Death row,no one gets visits they were put there for a reason TO DIE ON DEATH ROW...Officers should be searched everyday no exceptions honest or dishonest,male or female...cellphones,dope,money and other dangerous contraband get through the gates somehow they don't fly in,there or snitches on every unit they'll give a name up,use them...X-CO4 TDCJ...

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 15, 2008 at 03:10 PM
This puts a whole new meaning to an old phone companies slogan, "Reach out and touch someone". You have to think this is not only inmates doing this; it is possible that someone sitting next to you on an airplane could have smuggle something too. People will do what they have to do to survive and to try to get ahead in this world(anyway possible)

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 15, 2008 at 12:57 PM
they should have taken the phone out of his butt then shoved it in his mouth - see how he liked that! That is just nothing but nasty & what a psycho!

Posted by: Lucifer Location: Hell on Nov 15, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Instead of waiting for a bowel movement, they ought to cut him open to remove it. This dude must be some type of fluff to put it where the sun don't shine. He must have it on vibra-alert so he can get a thrill when a call comes in. Cheryl, It would be beneficial if you got together with other experienced officers and wrote a tutorial manual about all of the tricks and maneuvers the convicts perform in prison. States would issue it to their correctional officers of lesser experiences.

Posted by: Anonymous1 Location: Waco on Nov 15, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Cell phone in the rectum huh? Maybe he enjoyed the vibration? I'm glad they did this lockdown...it seems like it was long over due.

Posted by: no name Location: gatesville on Nov 15, 2008 at 10:10 AM
It doesn't surprise me that a cell phone was found inside an inmate, they hide lots of things inside themselves. Just think, females have two places. All inmates need to be x rayed. I'm pretty sure there would be more than cell phones found inside them.

Posted by: Mary Location: NC on Nov 15, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Definetly I will not ask to borrow that phone that is just to gross for me.

Posted by: RJ Location: AZ on Nov 15, 2008 at 09:12 AM
He probably had the ringer set to vibrate. I have seen an X-ray of a small 22 calaber gun in an inmates rectum. he got worried because it was cocked and he asked medical for help to remove it.

Posted by: Bill Location: Waco on Nov 15, 2008 at 06:19 AM
It happens more than you would believe. Most gangs have turned to orginized crime. Their mode of communication as well as their "inventory" is smuggled in by various means. These include visitors, their body cavities, mail and even staff. I don't remember who said it but i have read "You can solve any problem if you concentrate on it for 10 un-interupted minuts." Inmates have 7/24 to plan.

Posted by: Don Location: Texas on Nov 15, 2008 at 02:07 AM
Inmates have more rights in prison than out of prison. The system is broke and no one wants to fix it. They should have executed this guy 13 years ago.

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 15, 2008 at 01:20 AM
bet he is one of the ones that wears his pants half way down his behind

Posted by: jay Location: g-ville on Nov 14, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Hey Cheryl in Waco before you write the book get spellcheck it will greatly improve your spelling.

Posted by: dmg Location: waco on Nov 14, 2008 at 10:24 PM
ewwwwwwwwwww! That's nasty!!

Posted by: Michelle Location: Central TX on Nov 14, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Say what????? EEEWWW and YUCK!!!!!

Posted by: El Guapo Location: Around on Nov 14, 2008 at 09:08 PM
I don't think I will be asking to borrow that phone...

Posted by: Bill on Nov 14, 2008 at 06:56 PM
Yuck!Wonder what happens when he gets a call?

Posted by: cheryl Location: waco on Nov 14, 2008 at 06:15 PM
I worked for TDC and the dept of corrections in Arkansas for a total of 17 years to I finally got tired of all the crap that went on on the inside, it is ridicoulus of what an inmate can get. There are more drugs and other contraband in the units than the free world people realize. What about the time the excuted a inmate here in texas and before they did he turned and opened his mouth and had a handcuff key in his mouth. The officals need to get more strict on the people that they hire and conduct more searches on all the employees there and this miss would stop! I could write a book on all the wrong in the correctional system!

Posted by: player of the year Location: Waco,Tx on Nov 14, 2008 at 05:42 PM
Oh I love it. This dude has to be sore from putting that phone in his butt. I have seen this dude in person as a former officer on Death Row. I have some friends that still work there. I have to give them a call to give them a hard time about this and all the bad PR they are getting these days.

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