PHILADELPHIA -- The Briley brothers, condemned to die for murdering 10 people and the last of six killers to be recaptured after breaking out of Virginia's death row, were ordered held on $10 million bail today.
U.S. Magistrate Peter Scuderi set the bail for Linwood Briley, 30, the mastermind of the May 31 escape, and his brother James, 27, who were recaptured without resistance Tuesday night in a vacant auto garage in a rundown part of Philadelphia.
'I don't think there's any question that in the case of the Brileys, substantial bail is warranted,' Scuderi said.
The Brileys, who were formally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, whispered to each other during the hearing but showed no reaction to any of the developments.
Linwood Briley was wearing a blue football jersey and sweatpants and James Briley was wearing brown shorts and a brown T-shirt.
Scuderi also set a hearing for 2:30 p.m. Thursday, where extradition of the two fugitives to Virginia could be considered, prosecutors said.
Bail was set at $1 million for their uncle, Johnny Lee Council, 45, of Philadelphia, who also was arrested Tuesday night and charged with harboring the fugitives since their escape.
The Brileys were the object of manhunts concentrated along the Virginia-North Carolina border and the Canada-Vermont border. The brothers apparently had been in the Philadelphia area since a few days after they escaped three weeks ago.
The fugitives were recaptured around 10 p.m. EDT Tuesday by FBI agents and police from Philadelphia and Virginia in the neighborhood of seedy brick homes.
'I want to talk to the governor,' James Briley said Tuesday night while being led handcuffed through a federal building. 'I want to talk to the governor. I'm innocent. I'm innocent of everything that was done down in Virginia.'
The Brileys were awaiting execution for 10 murders when they escaped from the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Boydton, Va., with four other inmates. It was the biggest Death Row escape in U.S. history.
The Brileys were the object of manhunts concentrated along the Virginia-North Carolina border and the Canada-Vermont border. The brothers apparently had been in the Philadelphia area since a few days after they escaped three weeks ago.
The fugitives were recaptured around 10 p.m. EDT Tuesday by FBI agents and police from Philadelphia and Virginia in the neighborhood of seedy brick homes.
'I want to talk to the governor,' James Briley said Tuesday night while being led handcuffed through a federal building. 'I want to talk to the governor. I'm innocent. I'm innocent of everything that was done down in Virginia.'
The Brileys were awaiting execution for 10 murders when they escaped from the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Boydton, Va., with four other inmates. It was the biggest Death Row escape in U.S. history.
The six created a disturbance, took hostages and staged a bomb scare to trick guards into opening the prison gates.
The brothers were the last of the six to be captured. The first two were captured 24 hours after the breakout and two more were captured a week later near the Vermont-Canada border.
'I am both relieved and grateful,' said Virginia Gov. Charles Robb. 'I am relieved that all of the escapees are now back in custody without any injury or bloodshed.'
Robert Landon, director of Virginia's Department of Corrections, was elated.
'I just want to go set off firecrackers and things,' said Landon. 'I'm exhilarated. It's just a situation of gigantic relief.'
The search for the Brileys stretched from Virginia to Canada, where reports put them near the Vermont border in the past few days. However, FBI agents in Philadelphia said they had reason to believe the brothers were in the city for almost three weeks.
'We believe they've been in the Philadelphia area from June 1,' said FBI spokesman Paul Miller, who credited their capture to surveillance and help from Virginia police.
Several tips from sources and Virginia authorities led Philadelphia FBI agents to believe the brothers may come to the city, where they were known to have relatives, Miller said.
The Brileys had been convicted in a crime spree dotted with murders, rapes and robberies in the Richmond, Va., area during 1978 and 1979.
Prosecutors described the brothers as young toughs who wanted no witnesses to their crimes. Before being sent to death row the brothers maintained a lifestyle that included keeping a boa constrictor, piranhas and a pack of dogs as pets in their home.
Linwood Briley is scheduled to die Aug. 17 for the September 1979 murder of a Richmond disc jockey. Linwood, the gang leader, also got seven life sentences for his role in 11 murders and robberies.
James Briley was sentenced to death for the robbery and murders of Judy Barton, 23, and her 5-year-old son, Harvey. She was pregnant at the time of the attack.
Anthony, their youngest brother, was convicted and sentenced to several life terms for his part in the crimes.
