David Sweat, one of the convicted killers whose escape from Clinton Correctional Facility led to a three-week manhunt in upstate New York, appeared in court Thursday morning for the first time since his capture.
Sweat, who was arraigned in Clinton County Court in Plattsburgh before Judge Patrick McGill, was charged with two counts of escape in the first degree, and one count of promoting prison contraband in the first degree, according to court papers, reported The New York Times.
The judge entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of first-degree escape on behalf of Sweat, who was serving a life sentence without parole before he made his escape, according to CNN.
Sweat faces disciplinary charges by the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for the prison break, according to a department statement in July.
Furthermore, the department revealed that Sweat could remain in an isolation cell for an extended length, as he was already doing so after a stint in a jailhouse medical center following his re-arrest, or be subject to other penalties, according to Reuters.
His next court appearance will be on Sept. 29.
