Inmate Assaults Occur Ten Minutes Apart
(Information from a NYSCOPBA press release)
Attica, NY – A sergeant and officer needed to be treated at two local hospitals for injuries
sustained in two inmate attacks that occurred ten minutes apart outside the mess hall at the
maximum security correctional facility Monday.
The first assault happened as an inmate was leaving the mess hall, for no apparent reason he
turned and struck an officer in the face. A second officer administered OC spray with no effect.
Both officers put the inmate in a body hold and forced him to the floor. The two officers forced
the inmate’s arms behind his back and applied handcuffs. Once in handcuffs, he became
compliant. He was escorted to a Special Housing Unit for decontamination and placed in a
Residential Rehabilitation Unit pending disciplinary charges.
One officer was treated for exposure to chemical agents and remained on duty. The officer who
was assaulted, was transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment of swelling under the eye,
headache and dizziness.
The inmate, 34, is serving a five-year sentence after being convicted in Kings County in 2024 of
Attempted Rape 1st degree and Attempted Sexual Abuse 1st degree.
Minutes after that attack, an inmate attacked a sergeant while exiting the mess hall, striking him in
the face. The second assault occurred when inmates were exiting the mess hall to return to their cell block.
One inmate was being disruptive and disorderly and refused to follow several orders from a
sergeant to calm down. The sergeant approached the inmate in line and the inmate punched the
sergeant directly in the face. Two officers responded to the assault, and with assistance from the
sergeant, forced the inmate to the ground in a body hold. On the floor and still extremely
combative, OC spray was administered with no effect. Additional staff arrived and assisted in
forcing the inmate’s arms behind his back and applying handcuffs. Once in handcuffs, the inmate
became compliant. He was brought to his feet and escorted to a Special Housing Unit to be decontaminated.
The sergeant who was assaulted sustained a hematoma under his eye, headache, dizziness and
jaw and neck pain. He was treated at the facility and transported to United Memorial Medical
Center for further treatment and hasn’t returned to work.
Two officers and a second sergeant sustained back, elbow, and shoulder pain. They were treated
by medical staff at the facility and remained on duty.
The inmate, 48, was placed in a Residential Rehabilitation Unit (RRU) after the attack, pending
disciplinary charges. He is serving a 57 years to life sentence after being convicted in Kings County
in 1997 of Murder 2nd degree and Rape 1st degree.
“It is ironic that “rehabilitation” is the noun that is part of name of the RRU. With the historic
levels of inmate assaults on staff last year and this year’s level on pace to surpass last, it is clear
that the RRU’s created as a result of the HALT Act are failing miserably. Evidenced as attacks by
inmates serving life sentences, there is no deterrent for them to not attacking staff whenever
they see fit with little or no discipline left in our prison system. Already faced with staffing
shortages, daily mandatory overtime, and morale has been extinct for years now, our members
are being pushed to the brink with attacks like this at Attica. There will come a day, as this
violence fails to be addressed by the State Legislature, that someone will most certainly be killed
at the hands of an inmate and that blood will be on the hands of those who have the ability
change the ridiculous polices they voted for. Most of our members believe that these legislators
could care less about them and want that to happen so they can blame us for something else-as
it’s never the convict’s fault in New York State!” – stated Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region
Vice President