As Coleman was strip-searched, a steak knife was found between two pairs of sweat socks he was wearing. A shopping bag full of varied T-shirts and caps was found in the couple's possession; officers learned that the pair stopped every three to four blocks as they walked and changed shirts and caps. A week after their arrest, more than 50 law enforcement officials from six jurisdictions met to plan their strategy for prosecuting Coleman and Brown. Seeking the death penalty for Coleman and Brown, Michigan was quickly ruled out because it did not employ capital punishment. It was decided to give Ohio the first attempt at sentencing, with U.S. Attorney Dan K. Webb stating, "We are convinced that prosecution (in Ohio) can most quickly and most likely result in the swiftest imposition of the death penalty against Alton Coleman and Debra Brown".