WALLKILL- An inmate serving his second stint in state prison attacked an officer outside of the recreation yard after he refused several staff orders to return to his housing unit at the medium security correctional facility last week.
As inmates were entering the rear recreation yard, an officer gave the inmate a direct order to pull his pants up. The inmate ignored the initial order. The officer gave the inmate a second order to pull up his pants. The inmate turned around and yelled an expletive at the officer. The officer ordered the inmate to leave the yard and return to his housing unit. The inmate became argumentative and refused to leave the yard. The officer gave the inmate a second order to return to his housing unit. The inmate complied and began walking to the rear gate of the yard. The officer unlocked the rear gate and the inmate verbally threatened the officer with his fists clenched. The officer ordered the inmate to place his hands on the wall for a pat frisk.
Initially, the inmate began to place his hands on the wall. As the officer approached, he suddenly came off the wall and struck the officer in the left side of the face. The officer immediately placed the inmate in a body hold and pushed him up against the wall. The inmate attempted to push off the wall. The officer used an upper body hold and forced the inmate to the ground. A second officer who was nearby, responded to the assault. The second officer forced the inmate’s arms behind his back and applied handcuffs. Once in handcuffs, the inmate was brought to his feet and removed from the area.
Both officers were treated at the facility’s primary care unit.
The inmate, 36, is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in Queens County in 2017 for criminal possession of a weapon 2nd and perjury 2nd. In 2010, he was convicted of robbery 2nd in Queens County and served a three-year prison sentence.
The inmate was transferred to Shawangunk Correctional Facility after the incident.
“Another day, another assault on staff in our correctional facilities,” said Chris Moreau, Mid-Hudson Region Vice President of the New York State Corrections Officers PBA. “The victims’ names and their attackers might change, but the result is the same, one more assault to add to the record number of assaults on staff.”
Moreau said that this incident is the latest in a string of violent prison incidents that are on the rise. Last year set a record high for violent incidents in state correctional facilities, which Moreau believes is the result of the HALT Act—a new law enacted by the legislature that severely limits and, in some cases, bans the use of segregated housing units for inmates.
“This continues to occur as the State Legislature sits idly by and refuses to address the violence inside these walls. Their inaction is a complete failure to safeguard the men and women who go to work every day to protect all New Yorkers,” said Moreau.
