A former Green River High School counselor accused of killing her husband in September took what appears to be an “intentional fall” last week from a second-level mezzanine in the jail, the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Wednesday to Cowboy State Daily.
The fall left Linda Malone, 65, of Green River, with traumatic and immobilizing injuries, court documents say.
Malone was charged with second-degree murder in September when her husband John Malone, 78, died after a slew of injuries he suffered on or before Sept. 9.
The evidentiary affidavit Green River Police Department officers filed alleges Malone used a “very large” bottle of Baileys liquor to beat John Malone on his head.
He was life-flighted to the University of Utah Hospital and died days later.
That same hospital is where Linda Malone is now, Sweetwater County Attorney Danny Erramouspe confirmed to Cowboy State Daily in a Wednesday phone interview.
She did not appear Monday for a scheduled arraignment hearing in Sweetwater County District Court.
Erramouspe filed a motion Tuesday asking Judge Suzannah Robinson to reduce Malone’s $300,000 cash or surety bond to a signature bond only.
He attached an affidavit by Sweetwater County Detention Center medical director Dr. Kennon Tubbs, in which Tubbs said Malone incurred significant injuries, is unable to care for herself, and will require rehabilitation of at least six months to heal.
The reason he asked for the lighter bond, said Erramouspe, is “not only do we not have the facilities (in the jail) to handle her injuries, she’s no longer a flight risk because she’s basically not ambulatory.”
The prosecutor confirmed that Robinson granted his motion Wednesday.
Looks Intentional
Linda Malone’s Jan. 1 fall from the mezzanine of the jail’s second-level housing onto the concrete floor of its first-level housing about 12 feet below remains under investigation, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Jason Mower told Cowboy State Daily in a Wednesday phone interview.
But it “looks like an intentional fall” at this juncture, he added.
The incident unfolded about 10 a.m. during her regularly-scheduled free time outside of her housing cell, Mower said, adding that she was the only inmate having out-of-cell free time in that area at the time.
He said the common area outside Malone’s cell is heavily surveilled, and jail staffers noticed the fall immediately and called medical services personnel.
“From what I understand (she) walks to the railing, leans headfirst over the railing and continues to lean headfirst over the railing until gravity takes over,” said Mower. “The whole thing happened in, like, 30 seconds or less.”
Mower said he did not know the exact height of the railing, but it is fair to say an accidental fall over it is improbable.
He said jail personnel lacked indicators that Malone may do something allegedly self-destructive.
“We hadn’t had any behavioral incident. She had been — I’m told — like a model inmate. Zero issues,” he said. “It was all very sudden and happened very quickly, and I haven’t encountered that before.”
Erramouspe in his interview deferred questions about just how the fall happened to the sheriff’s office, but emphasized that it was an isolated incident.
The Tally
Malone faces one count of second-degree murder, which is punishable by between 20 years and life in prison, plus up to $10,000 in fines.
She also faces three counts of abusing a vulnerable adult, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to Tubbs’ affidavit, her “significant injuries” include a traumatic brain injury, pulmonary issues, and significant back and pelvic fractures.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
