Victim's family sues prison, state

Phoenix, AZ (KRQE) - The mother of a man killed in New Mexico is suing the people, she claims, are responsible for allowing the killings to happen.

Vivian Haas, the mother of Gary Haas who was killed with his wife Linda in Eastern New Mexico in early August, filed a law suit this week against the State of Arizona, the Arizona Department of Corrections, and MTC, the Utah-based private prison company responsible for running the jail in Kingman, Arizona.

Escapees John McCluskey and Tracey Province, as well as their accomplice Casslyn Welch each face Federal murder charges for allegedly killing Gary and Linda Haas.

The lawsuit claims “due to repeated and egregious errors, the inmates were allowed to break prison security, escape and elude captors for several weeks. During the period of time they remained outside captivity, two of the inmates and an accomplice kidnapped, unlawfully held and brutally murdered a couple in New Mexico.”

In early August, both the Arizona Department of Corrections and MTC took responsibility for the escape.

Vivian Haas is seeking $10 million because she “forever lost the relationship with her son, as well as the love, care, comfort and companionship of her son,” the lawsuit claims. Vivian also “has incurred and will continue to incur extensive financial expenses and losses, including the financial support her son would have provided,” the claim says.