Word for Word

You don't mess with an inmate's spider

Two Florida prison inmates are facing life sentences and a third has a cracked skull after fighting . . . over a spider?

If ever a story called for further reporting, this one did.

Here, to begin with, is the press release in which the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the news. FDLE's Web site is www.fdle.state.fl.us. Other details of the case appear below the press release.

-- MIKE WILSON, Floridian editor

Inmates Charged With Beating Fellow Inmate Over A Spider

December 17, 2002

The Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Fort Myers Regional Operations Center announce the arrests of Corey L. Andrews and Lemuel W. Ware. Both men are housed in the Charlotte Correctional Institution (in Punta Gorda). Andrews and Ware are each charged with Aggravated Battery by a Person Detained in Prison.

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2002 Charlotte Correctional Officers found Inmate James Borland unconscious and unresponsive in the recreation yard of the facility. Borland was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for head trauma and underwent brain surgery. . . .

The Department of Corrections requested FDLE agents to assist in the investigation. After several interviews with witnesses, it was learned that Corey Andrews and Lemuel Ware got into a fight with James Borland over a pet spider. Andrews told investigators that Borland had accused Ware of stealing his pet spider "Pinky." Ware told investigators that the pet spider talked to him and told him to hit Borland.

During the fight witnesses stated hearing Andrews and Ware use racial slurs, therefore the charges are enhanced to a Life Felony under the Florida hate crime law.

That's it, the whole press release. We called FDLE to see what else they could tell us.

The agency got involved because it investigates homicides committed in state prisons. Borland's injuries were so severe -- his skull was fractured -- that it appeared he would not survive, special agent Steve Uebelacker said.

Ware, 32, is serving eight years for carjacking and has a prison record going back to 1991. Andrews, also 32, who first went to prison at 17, is serving five years for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Borland's sentence is two years and 10 months, for attempted sale of cocaine.

During his investigation, Uebelacker learned that prison inmates catch spiders and keep them in boxes as pets. Somehow Ware got Borland's spider away from him. It was Ware who named the spider Pinky.

"Ware only had it for a day. In the time he had it, he must have bonded with it and come up with the name," Uebelacker said.

Ware and Andrews, who are black, are charged with hate crimes because they called Borland, who is white, a "cracker" during the assault, the agent said. They will remain incarcerated pending trial.

Borland, 41, has recovered from his injuries. He has been transferred to the South Florida Reception Center in Miami.

And where is the spider?

"You better believe I asked that question," Uebelacker said. "Nobody seems to know. The whereabouts of Pinky are unknown."

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