TV reporter held hostage at maximum security prison

DANNEMORA, N.Y. - A free-lance TV producer was held hostage at a maximum security state prison for more than four hours Tuesday by an inmate convicted of killing a New York City millionaire. Inmate Kenneth Kimes, 25, formerly of Las Vegas and son of former Carson City resident and co-conspirator Sante Kimes, held a pen to the throat of Maria Zone, and ordered her camera crew, filming for Court TV, to ''back off,'' Department of Correctional Services spokesman James Flateau said.

An officer observing the interview pushed an alarm and called for help, and prison negotiators spoke with Kimes until he released the woman, Flateau said. He said Zone did not appear to be injured.

Network spokeswoman Betsy Vorce said Zone had interviewed Kimes several weeks ago without problem and returned Tuesday to interview him on camera for ''Crime Stories,'' a documentary-style program.

Kimes is serving a 125-year sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility. He and his mother, Sante Kimes, were convicted of killing Irene Silverman, 82, in a scheme to steal her $7 million Manhattan home. Silverman's body was never found. Their lawyers are planning appeals.

The prison, near the Canadian border, houses 2,865 inmates.

''I am totally shocked by this,'' said Matthew Weissmann, one of Kimes' lawyers during trial. ''In the two and a half years that I've known Kenny, he's never shown that he would do anything like this, despite the charges he was convicted on. He's never shown any violence. He must've totally snapped or something.''