Published: January 06, 2009 11:10 am      

NBCI prisoner assaults female officers on duty in kitchen area

50-year-old inmate had been fired as worker, says source

CRESAPTOWN — Two female correctional officers at North Branch Correctional Institution who were allegedly assaulted early Sunday by a broom-wielding inmate apparently did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

“Thankfully, two correctional dietary officers suffered no life-threatening injuries,” said Mark Vernarelli, director of public information for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. “We are very thankful the officers were not more seriously injured.”

The officers, who were not identified by the agency, were taken to Memorial Hospital by two ambulances from the Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department.

Both officers were released following treatment in the emergency room, where they were reportedly visited by NBCI Warden John Rowley and executive staff, said Vernarelli.

The officers were overseeing normal operations in the kitchen area when they were allegedly assaulted by an inmate who attacked them with a push broom sometime before 4 a.m.

The incident involved a 50-year-old inmate who is serving a life sentence for murder. The inmate has been in the custody of the Division of Correction for more than 27 years, Vernarelli said.

Whether he will be criminally charged remains to be seen.

“The DPSCS Internal Investigative Unit will consult with the State’s Attorney’s Office to determine whether criminal charges will be filed,” said Vernarelli.

“We always vigorously pursue criminal charges, even in the case of a lifer, because violence cannot be tolerated and we stand up for our employees.”

Sources close to the investigation said the inmate had recently been fired from working in the kitchen area but subsequently returned to there. The incident reportedly ended when other correctional officers intervened and subdued the inmate.

The assault marked the second time in just over a month that correctional officers have been allegedly assaulted by inmates at NBCI.

The incident prompted a statement Monday afternoon from Patrick Moran, director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland, who said “enough is enough.”

“Two female officers at Cumberland’s NBCI sustained serious injuries when they were brutally attacked by an inmate at the facility. This comes little more than a month after four NBCI corrections officers were injured in a similar attack on Nov. 29, 2008.

“Enough is enough. While AFSCME Maryland commends these officers for their bravery and dedication to public safety, this type of violence is unacceptable and must not be tolerated.

“Again, we call on the state to take immediate, decisive actions to address the dangerously low staffing levels at state corrections facilities.

“(Sunday’s) events highlight the severity of the danger our corrections officers face every day.

“These dedicated officers put their lives on the line daily — to do their job and to keep Marylanders safe. We hold our corrections officers to the highest standards — and we expect the state to do its part in protecting their safety — by providing adequate staff,” said Moran.

In the Nov. 29 incident at NBCI, three correctional officers were taken to Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries after they were allegedly attacked by several inmates in the prison courtyard. They were released from the hospital the same day.

At that time, Vernarelli said criminal charges were being pursued against “as many as five inmates.”

State’s Attorney Michael Twigg said Monday that charges are pending against the inmates involved in the Nov. 29 and Jan. 4 incidents. “Charges are forthcoming,” said Twigg.

That incident also prompted a statement from Moran, who cited “dangerously low staffing levels at state corrections facilities.” He said that assaults on staff at state prisons had increased by 52 percent since 2002.

Rick Binetti, executive director of communications at the state’s public safety department, said Monday that staffing levels at NBCI are adequate and the institution has three vacancies in line staff.

Binetti said department statistics show the number of serious assaults of correctional officers — those that require medical attention — decreased by 33 percent from fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2008.

He said assaults on staff statewide decreased by 75 percent from October 2007 through October 2008 when compared to October 2006 through October 2007. Serious weapon assaults of inmates by inmates decreased 37 percent in the same time frames, he said.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.