By Matthew Bieniek
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — An inmate whose attack on a correctional officer led to a shake-up at North Branch Correctional Institution pleaded guilty to the assault Tuesday and was sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison.
Richard Crawford, 45, pleaded in Allegany County Circuit Court to one count of first-degree assault of a correctional officer and was sentenced by Judge Gary G. Leasure. Crawford answered questions posed by Leasure in a matter of fact tone with simple yes and no answers. The assault occurred Aug. 5, 2013.
Photos of officer Herbert Hilliard’s injuries were introduced into evidence by State’s Attorney Michael Twigg. The officer underwent surgery at the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center after the attack.
Hilliard suffered several puncture wounds from a homemade 5-inch knife. He remained conscious and alert throughout the ordeal, officials said. He was taken to the hospital by a Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department ambulance.
Crawford is already serving a life sentence for first-degree murder after a 1994 conviction for killing his parents in Prince George’s County. The couple were shot.
Crawford is now serving his sentence at Western Correctional Institution. He was sentenced to the 20 years requested by Twigg. The sentence is consecutive by law since the assault involved a corrections officer. The 20-year term is near the maximum sentence of 25 years that could have been imposed. Five related charges were dismissed in exchange for the plea agreement.
Crawford had pleaded guilty to a previous stabbing of a corrections officer in 2007 and was sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty to that charge. That assault occurred at the maximum-security Maryland House of Correction. Shortly before the stabbing, an inmate wrote a letter threatening Hilliard, who may not have been told of the threat as required by prison policy. Officials said the anonymous letter was not likely connected to the stabbing. The letter writer implied that he was in charge of some sort of inmate-run security system and named two guards the inmates wanted transferred out of that area of the prison.
The stabbing was the culmination of a series of assaults of officers at the maximum-security prison on U.S. Route 220. After the stabbing and other incidents, North Branch Warden Bobby Shearin lost his job. The security chief at the prison was also reassigned.
Crawford is originally from Prince George’s County. At the time of the attack, he had no recent disciplinary history, authorities said.
Jeff Grabenstein, president of the officers’ union local in Cumberland, said Hilliard hasn’t returned to work. He said Shearin had enforced restrictions on inmate movements that are being rolled back under the new regime, and officers are worried.