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I never met Walter but I knew his son Ron Farrow when he and I worked at the U S Medical Center for Federal Prisoners at Springfield, Missouri. Not long before Walter was murdered Ron and I were working a cell block (10-C) in the psychiatric area on the 4-12 shift. There were several real “psychos” housed in 10-C . One of them had been involved in taking some officers hostage at the Federal Reformatory at El Reno, Oklahoma as I recall but there were several others in the unit who were equally “volatile”. One of them was a little Mexican by the name of Guadalupe Pena.
About 5:00 P M we were in process of letting the inmates out of their cells to watch TV. Ron was on the second floor gallery releasing inmates from their cell and I was on the main ground floor. After I had released the inmates on “the flag” I sat down behind the seated inmates to watch the evening news headlines.
Suddenly inmate Pena grabbed me by the throat from behind in what I assumed was an attempt to choke me. I grabbed his hands at my throat, stood up, flipped him over my shoulder and pinned him to the floor. Ron came to my aid and said “Ivan you’re bleeding”.
Pena had a razor blade taped to his fingers and was trying for my jugular. He didn’t succeed at that but he did slice my throat 8 or ten times and one was all the way through my shirt collar. Ron helped me pick Pena up and lock him in his cell. I was ordered to go home for the evening. Not long after this incident Walter was murdered and Ron resigned to be with his family. I’d love to hear from him so if anyone can put him in contact with me I’d appreciate it.
Ivan L Fail, Sparta, MO
1960-1961 FCI, Lompoc, CA
1961-1963 USP, Leavenworth, Kansas
1963 through 1988 USMCFP, Sgf, MO
SOS Ivan L Fail
Retired Federal Prison Service
July 20, 2011
