Jeffery
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson Correctional Facility inmate charged with attempted capital murder was bound over for trial Thursday morning after a preliminary hearing.
Forty-three-year-old Corey Jeffery is accused of stabbing a correction’s officer back on Sept. 17, 2014. Correction’s Officer Tim Russell, who was working in the C-2 cell house at the central unit, received multiple stab wounds and was transported to the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center by EMS for treatment.
Russell testified that he had met with Jeffery before the incident where Jeffery was upset because of issues over his toilet. Russell apparently went about his business, but then later called to get someone to come look at his toilet.
About an hour later, he says he was letting inmates out of their cell so they could visit the canteen where they can buy stuff and that’s when the attack occurred. He told the court that he was stabbed at least 13 times.
Jeffery later wrote three letters stating that he committed the crime because he wanted to be in segregation and possibly sent back to Minnesota where he was convicted of murder and given a life sentence. He says in the letter that he has warned officials that he would kill. He apparently claims in the letters that he had nothing against Russell. In fact, one of the letters was sent to him where he apologized, but blames the prison for not responding to his request. One of the others was sent to an investigator with the prison and the other to a television station, however, prison officials stopped that one from being sent.
A weapon was reportedly recovered at the scene of where the stabbing occurred, which was a shank made out of metal. There was also video of the incident, which didn’t positively identify the defendant as the one who attacked the officer, but testimony showed the person in the video had the same physical characteristics as the defendant.
There is some concern that if given the opportunity, he might kill again, including attorneys, possibly his own.
Security was tight through the hearing with a combination of prison guards and sheriff deputies both inside and out of the courtroom there to make sure everything stayed safe.
District Judge Joe McCarville found there was probable cause to send the case to trial.