Thomas Antenten, a corrections spokesman, said that once the principal made the decision to refer the case, officials had to investigate.

Mr. Antenten, the corrections spokesman, said he did not know the details of the casebut added that Rikers makes no distinction between cigarettes and heroin when it comes to contraband.

He had previously served as the National Party's chief whip, and as its justice and corrections spokesman.

"Our mission," said Michael Van Winkle, a corrections spokesman, "does not include rehabilitation."

"The judge's ruling was specific to the Nassau jail," said Thomas Antenen, a corrections spokesman.

A corrections spokesman, Nic Howell, said, "A little success seems to breed more."

'Under Control Again' "The prison is under control again," Mr. Robinson, the corrections spokesman, announced at noon.

Pat Mulcahy, another corrections spokesman, said the three men had chipped away at the rear wall of their cell, pushed out a 16- by 16-inch stone block and squeezed through the opening.

The Mercer County Medical Examiner, Raafat Ahmad, determined that high blood pressure contributed to the hemorrhage, said Robert McHugh, the corrections spokesman.

"It was not a good answer, but it was better than the options we had at the time," said Jerry Massie, a corrections spokesman.