The device was chosen "to be as low-key as possible," said Gary P. Dias, the executive high sheriff.

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, June 16, 2006

BY GREGORY SMITH
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- Esteban Carpio ran once. But he cannot run again.

During his trial, the 27-year-old Boston native has been forced to wear a restraint on his right leg that prevents him from running or kicking.

State officials acknowledged the secret use of the device after an inquiry by The Providence Journal.

"We use it a lot, in situations where there may be a heightened risk of escape," said Gary P. Dias, Rhode Island executive high sheriff whose office is responsible for the security of prisoners and courthouses.

"If you were to try to run, it just locks out so you can't bend your knee," Dias explained.

If a prisoner wearing the device were to try to fight with guards, the fact that his leg would be held straight and stiff would be a handicap, he pointed out.

After fatally shooting Providence police Detective Sgt. James L. Allen, according to undisputed trial evidence, Carpio escaped from police headquarters. He was dragged down on the sidewalk several blocks away by the police and an FBI agent. In an attempt to break free again, Carpio kicked and struggled.

While in custody at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, where he is being held without bail during his trial, Carpio allegedly assaulted correctional officers. Those criminal charges also are pending against him.

The device he has been wearing, which locks with a key, consists of a flat, two-piece steel bar that pivots in the middle, with a spring-loaded pin. It is attached to Carpio's leg with three Velcro straps, and a leather strap at the bottom.

The device is called a transport leg brace and is manufactured by Humane Restraint Co., of Waunakee, Wis., which sells safety and security products, including protective helmets, handcuffs and bed restraints.

According to a manufacturer's pitch on the Internet, ". . . The Lab-100 [the device's model name] impedes running and kicking and can be worn under clothing, making it ideal for jury trials and airline transport where a discreet restraint is needed."

Deputy sheriffs take Carpio back and forth to the prison every day for his trial; they put the brace on, and take it off, at the courthouse downtown. Because it is hidden inside his pants leg, the device is not visible to the jury.

"We wanted to be as low-key as possible," to keep Carpio under control while not prejudicing his presumption of innocence with an obvious restraint, Dias said.

A small lever on the brace allows Carpio to ease its rigidity, so he can bend his knee and sit at the defense table in the courtroom. When he stands, the brace automatically snaps straight again.

Defense lawyer Robert L. Sheketoff had no comment on the use of the restraint, other than to say that the sheriff's department did not consult him on its use.

gsmith@projo.com / (401) 277-7334