Prisoner Traded Paintings for Tools

Paintings given by Richard Matt to prison guard Gene Palmer in exchange for tools and liberties that helped facilitate his escape included a bald eagle, roses, and many landscapes, according to images obtained by NBC News. The Daily Beast revealed that the fugitive was a keen amateur painter last month. Palmer reportedly burned some of the gifts in a panic after Matt and fellow convicted murderer David Sweat escaped from upstate New York’s Clinton Correctional Facility. He is now facing felony charges for promoting prison contraband and tampering with physical evidence, as well as a misdemeanor official misconduct charge. Palmer has pleaded not guilty.