Related: Breaking down the costs of the proposed Allen County Courthouse remodel.
The video tells a frightening story:
In 2008, seconds after being convicted of murder in Allen County District Court, Rory Foster slid under a desk, leaped over a partition and dashed through a door behind the judge’s bench.
He was captured almost immediately while trying to pry open a window that had been painted shut in Chief District Judge Daniel Creitz’s office.
Now, as law enforcement and court officials lobby taxpayers to approve plans for a $9.95 million courthouse renovation, the incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable dangers that come with enforcing the law.
If Allen County taxpayers approve the bond issue, they can expect to see tax rates increase by about 3.9 mills for the next 20 years. For the owner of a $100,000 home, that would translate to an annual cost of $44.85, or $3.74 per month or 12 cents per day.
Voters will decide on Nov. 7 whether to approve the bond project.
Creitz has called the renovation project “a need, not a want” and talks about the need to be “proactive, not reactive.” He fears what might happen if another desperate suspect makes an attempt to flee, or if a bereaved family member tries to take justice into their own hands. 
He’s concerned that if something like that does happen, the county will be forced to take action — and the cost will be much higher.
CREITZ isn’t the only one who worries about safety inside the courthouse.
“Every time we have a major jury trial, I worry,” Sheriff Bryan Murphy said. “You look at the Rory Foster case. In seven seconds, he goes under the table, over a bench and out the door. We had cops everywhere; we had everything covered except the door behind the judge. I don’t want that to happen again. That’s a huge fear.”
Under the proposed renovation, the courthouse would be updated with numerous security systems including a controlled entrance. A second courtroom, nearly identical to the existing one, would be built with secured access between them. The remodel would also add a secured hallway and holding rooms to transport inmates between the county jail and the courtroom. Currently, inmates are paraded through court offices en route to hearings, and must wait in public hallways while wearing shackles and clothing issued by the jail.
It’s not ideal for anyone, Creitz and Murphy point out.
Victims of crimes and their family members typically don’t want to share that space with a suspect. And in a system based on the presumption of innocence, it’s also not helpful for those accused of a crime to be on public display while in custody.
“I hope the community understands we need to make sure our courts can function seamlessly, both for victims and for those charged with crimes,” Murphy said.
