Carolyn Peirce, The Examiner
2008-04-02 14:13:06.0
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Anne Arundel County -

An Anne Arundel jury deliberated late into Tuesday evening and acquitted five corrections officers charged with second-degree assault against an inmate at the former Maryland House of Correction, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

The officers had been accused of using excessive force against inmate Bradford Matthews who was resistant during a strip search at the prison chapel in July 2006.

But the officers maintained throughout the weeklong trial that they used necessary force to control Matthews who refused to leave his cell, swung and kicked at officers and reached into his pants for something.

Matthews was one of about 50 inmates who were searched and transported from the Jessup facility the day after Corrections Officer David McGuinn was fatally stabbed on July 25, 2006.

The prosecutor alleged the officers— Manuel Williams, Naron Dyer, Antoine Fordham, Berkley Ghee and Keith Randolph— beat Matthews when he refused to give them a wristband that he was wearing.

Assistant State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess pointed to photographs of Matthews’ bruised and swollen face during closing arguments Tuesday, saying the officers caused “profound hearing loss” when they stomped and kicked him.

“Their story doesn’t even come close to justifying Mr. Matthews’ beating or explaining the injuries,” she said.

“Their brother officer had just been stabbed and they were venting. Matthews was a convenient target and this was their way of releasing a little anger.”

Defense attorneys said the officers were not friends with McGuinn and there was no medical evidence to support that Matthews was stomped or kicked.

Leitess also alleged Officer Fordham planted a homemade knife on Matthews and claimed it was hidden inside the wristband to justify the beating. She said Matthews could not have had the knife because it was found the day before near the location where McGuinn was killed.

But defense attorneys said three knives were found that day, and a captain admitted he mixed them up in his pocket and was unable to identify which one was allegedly taken from Matthews.

“The entire theory of the state is a red herring because nobody is using the knife as a reason to take him down,” said defense attorney Paul Kramer in closing arguments.

“What the state is trying to do is fit a square peg in a round hole and it isn’t going to fit.”

The defense also attacked Matthews’ credibility, saying he’s an armed robber who admitted to making knives and fighting in prison.

cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com