PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Thirty years ago, the state of Oregon was in the midst of a major backlash after the director of its prison system was found stabbed to death outside of his Salem office building.
The 1989 slaying of Michael Francke reverberated across the state, ultimately prompting then-Gov. Neil Goldschmidt to order an investigation into corruption allegations within the Department of Corrections.
The man tapped to lead the probe was retired Judge John C. Warden, who, within three months of his appointment, released his findings.
The report found there were “reasonable grounds to believe that some officials of the Department of Corrections are involved in significant illegal activities or other wrongdoing,” but didn’t find any connection between the corruption allegations and Francke’s death.
Frank Gable, who was ultimately convicted in connection with Francke’s brutal murder, was released in June from a Kansas prison after a federal judge found that evidence that wasn’t allowed to be introduced during his original trial may have led to an acquittal.
Read Warden’s 1989 report on his investigation into Oregon’s prison system below: