However, corrections officials reduced the prison term by crediting Mr. Garretson with days off for good behavior. He was freed July 9 from Pickaway Correctional Institution. Warren County authorities found out about the release when Judge Fedders logged onto the state corrections Web site on the Internet. The Web site allows users to search for an inmate's prison status. State corrections officials said Thursday that the sentenc ing order from the court was not clear.
Prosecutors say it was.
Defense lawyer James Perry argued that Judge Fedders did not have the legal authority to send Mr. Garretson back to prison. Besides, Mr. Garretson had been through enough, he said. Mr. Garretson did nothing to bring this situation about. Now you want to jerk him back. It's unheard of.