Correctional philosophy was very different in the 1970s. How else, then, can we explain how a murderer, sentenced to life in prison, is allowed to be escorted outside the prison, to a local high school, to teach an adult class in first aid? Nowadays, such a thing would be unthinkable. Yes, the inmate would be under guard, but so many things could go wrong. And, on the night of January 29, 1975, they did. Terribly wrong.
Ronald Brewer was serving time for murdering his girlfriend's landlord, who was trying to run away from an armed, enraged Brewer who had just shot the lock off his girlfriend's apartment door. He started his term in 1963 at the Fort Madison Penitentiary but, years later, was transferred to the Men's Reformatory in Anamosa for reasons not clear to this writer.
At some point, Brewer and Herb Pennock, the prison guard, began talking to each other and developing a sort of friendship. After all, they had a bit in common - Pennock had once served time in another state for manslaughter. In fact, Iowa had several dozen ex-cons working for corrections at the time.
Brewer convinced Pennock to help him with an escape plan. The following is taken from the Iowa Supreme Court transcript of Brewer's appeal:
At about 5:30 p.m. on January 29, 1975 Herbert Pennock, a guard at the men's reformatory in Anamosa, picked up the defendant Ronald Brewer (Brewer) at the reformatory. Brewer was given permission to leave the reformatory in order to teach a night class at the Anamosa high school. Pennock was to provide transportation. Two days earlier Pennock had purchased a rifle and ammunition at Brewer's request. According to Pennock Brewer told him he needed the rifle and the ammunition in order to escape with Mrs. Clarence Edwards.
Mrs. Edwards, a resident of Anamosa, was employed at the reformatory and was known to Brewer. Brewer told Pennock he needed the rifle to ward off Mr. Edwards.
Pennock gave the rifle to Brewer and, after class equipment was unloaded at the high school, drove him to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. Pennock thereupon returned to the high school. Brewer appeared at the high school a short time later and told Pennock he had shot the Edwards. Thereafter Pennock took Brewer to Dubuque where Brewer was picked up by someone else. Pennock then phoned authorities and stated he had been kidnapped.
Brewer was apprehended a month later in Phoenix, Arizona, and returned to Iowa where a Linn County jury found him guilty of First Degree Murder in the killing of Clarence Edwards. He was given the mandatory life sentence. He was never tried for the murder of Patricia Edwards. Herb Pennock was the state's chief witness against Brewer - prosecutors had granted him immunity for the charges brought against him for helping Brewer escape.
Brewer served out the rest of his days at the Fort Madison prison, dying there in 2008 of advanced lung disease at age 67.
The double killing stole the innocence from small town Anamosa. No one living at the time has forgotten where they were when they heard the terrible news. The state would make many changes in the handling of prisoners as a result of Brewer's actions.