An Illinois prison inmate is trying to prove he has a screw loose -- by eating every loose screw, thumbtack or other piece of hardware that he can smuggle into his cell and down his throat.
Lamont Cathey, who was nailed over a year ago for breaking into a pizzeria and stealing an undisclosed amount of money, started trying to eat his way out of jail shortly after being booked 16 months ago. He's gotten extra iron into his diet by chowing down on pieces of his bed, part of a security camera, even the metal parts of the restraints used to keep him from eating contraband.
Prison officials say Cathey has made two dozen trips to the hospital so far, racking up 16 surgeries that have cost taxpayers nearly $1.3 million in total. The jail’s executive director, Cara Smith, says, "He’s literally eating the jail."
Lamont Cathey, who was nailed over a year ago for breaking into a pizzeria and stealing an undisclosed amount of money, started trying to eat his way out of jail shortly after being booked 16 months ago. He's gotten extra iron into his diet by chowing down on pieces of his bed, part of a security camera, even the metal parts of the restraints used to keep him from eating contraband.
Prison officials say Cathey has made two dozen trips to the hospital so far, racking up 16 surgeries that have cost taxpayers nearly $1.3 million in total. The jail’s executive director, Cara Smith, says, "He’s literally eating the jail."