(Stillwater) — An inmate in Cushing’s private prison has been ordered to stand trial on a charge of assault and battery on a guard at the Cimarron Correctional Facility.
Christopher A. Cardwell, 23, Monday waived his right to a preliminary hearing on an accusation that he punched Correctional Officer Craig Sharp in the face numerous times on May 22.
Cardwell, who is 6’5″ and weighs 200 pounds, could be given as much as five more years in prison if convicted of the felony charge on which he is due to be arraigned in trial court on Oct. 16.
Cushing Police Officer Adam Harp wrote in an affidavit, “I asked inmate Cardwell if Sharp had disrespected him or provoked him and he said no that he was just doing his job.
“Inmate Cardwell said that he was sorry for assaulting Sharp and that Sharp had never been disrespectful towards him in the past.”
The inmate said that on May 22 at about 6:45 p.m. “Sharp approached them in the Alpha South Unit dayroom and told them to lock up — meaning to return to their cells.
“Inmate Cardwell said that lately it has been rough on him due to him not being able to receive letters from his girl and other situations.
“Inmate Cardwell said that he felt that the recreational time was not enough and did not want to lock up. Inmate Cardwell said that he told Sharp that he was not going to lock up.
“Inmate Cardwell said that Sharp looked down towards his duty belt as to grab hardcuffs and that he hit him in the face no less than four times nor more than ten.
“Inmate Cardwell said that he knew that the first three punches hit Sharp in the face area,” the affidavit alleged.
The incident was reported at the Cushing Police Department by Sharp on May 29, a week after it occurred, court records show.
“Sharp said that he asked inmate Cardwell to lock down, meaning to go back to his cell. Sharp said that inmate Cardwell told him that he did not want to lock down — that he needs to ship, meaning that he was afraid to go back to general population.
“Sharp said that after inmate Cardwell made the comment that he hit him two to three times with a closed fist in the face area.
“Sharp said that inmate Cardwell continued to hit him, but that he had blocked his punches.
“Sharp said that he was able to get help and eventually control inmate Cardwell.
“Sharp said that his glasses broke due to inmate Cardwell assaulting him.
“I asked Sharp if he sufferred any injuries from the assault and he said no,” Harp wrote in his affidavit.
Cardwell has been incarcerated at Cimarron Correctional Facility for nearly two years and had been slated to be considered for parole in January, state Department of Corrections records show.
Cardwell is currently serving two concurrent five-year prison terms on a 2007 Oklahoma County conviction for two counts of possession of a taken credit card after a former felony conviction, DOC records show.
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