Capitol Police Were Warned of Holes in Security

"We have an acting chief, an acting assistant chief. No one is willing to make a decision," said one officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

McGaffin is scheduled to retire this fall. He has blamed the security breach on human error.

Private security experts said Capitol Police should have been well prepared for an intruder charging an entrance -- a common tactic that terrorists and other would-be assailants have used for decades. In 1974, 1981 and 1984, drivers rammed gates on the White House grounds in unsuccessful efforts to reach the president's residence.

Testimony yesterday by Capitol Police Detective Nettie Watts gave the most complete account yet of how many officers and checkpoints Greene was able to evade. After the hearing, Greene was ordered to remain jailed on a weapons charge stemming from the intrusion.

He was first spotted by a Capitol Police officer about 7:40 a.m. at a security barricade at First and C streets SE, Watts told the court. Greene nearly slammed into the barricade but hit the brakes just short of doing so, nearly hitting a pedestrian, Watts testified.

Then, according to the detective:

Greene then backed up and sped east on C Street -- nearly striking the same pedestrian, she said. The officer at that checkpoint called in a "Priority 1" alert on Capitol Police radio warning about the fast-moving driver of a silver SUV.

Less than two minutes later, Greene got past the officer who was supposed to be guarding the entrance to the construction site, at First Street and Maryland Avenue NE. She was parked in such way that he easily could evade her and zoom onto the grounds. A pop-up barrier was not in use because of the flow of construction vehicles.

On Monday, McGaffin said Greene hit the officer's vehicle, and charging documents say he "rammed" into it, suggesting that she was blocking the entrance. But under questioning from Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola, Watts said Greene merely swiped the passenger side as he flew past.

After hitting a concrete wall around a skylight on the grounds, Greene bailed out of the SUV and ran up the Capitol steps and through the open door. Soon, he was within steps of Senate offices.

Greene continued running until he reached a basement office used to supply citizens with flags that have flown over the Capitol. He grabbed a female employee by the arm, Watts said, quoting him as saying, "I need a place to hide."

A man from the same office saw his colleague in distress and scuffled with Greene, according to Watts's testimony. But then Greene broke free and entered the flag office.

That's when a third employee emerged from a room inside that office. Greene dashed toward the man, and the ensuing fight knocked plaques and a fire extinguisher off the walls.

According to Watts, a flag room employee said Capitol Police arrived within "minutes." But Capitol Police have said they were there in seconds. As officers opened the door, the employee inside physically lifted Greene and handed him to the police.

"So he pushes him, effectively, into the officers' hands?" Facciola asked.

"Yes," Watts said.

Staff writer Spencer H. Hsu contributed to this report.