By Jenny Kane
The Virgin Islands Daily News
ST. THOMAS — An inmate who was charging his mobile phone while in his cell is facing assault charges after corrections officials said he punched a corrections officer when the guard tried to confiscate the phone.
The officer, Lavar van Beverhoudt, had to get seven stitches in his forehead after the incident, according to the probable cause fact sheet.
La’Mar Richardson, 20, who is at the V.I. Bureau of Corrections Criminal Justice Complex on St. Thomas pending the outcome of murder charges, was arrested at 9:55 p.m. Saturday and charged with third-degree assault; aggravated assault and battery upon an officer; promoting dangerous contraband in prison; and interfering with an officer while performing his duties.
Van Beverhoudt entered one of the cell clusters to visit another inmate and saw a mobile phone charger plugged in and traced its cord back to Richardson’s cell, van Beverhoudt wrote. Van Beverhoudt tried to take the phone and charger, but Richardson tried to leave his cell, according to the fact sheet.
When van Beverhoudt tried to block the inmate and then tried to restrain him against the cell door, Richardson used a closed fist to punch the officer, van Beverhoudt said. Richardson has been on lockdown since the incident, and his phone and charger were confiscated.
Richardson, a resident of Tutu Hi-Rise, was arrested in March and charged with first-degree murder; second-degree murder; two counts of first-degree assault; four counts of third-degree assault; eight counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; first-degree reckless endangerment and aiding and abetting.
Richardson was arrested alongside 21-year-old Akeel Owens, also of Tutu Hi-Rise.
The two are accused of shooting and killing Kenroy Davis, of Tutu Hi-Rise, and shooting and injuring a 17-year-old girl in the lower back. Davis and the girl were found in the parking lot of the housing community.
Bail initially was set at $1 million for Richardson and Owens individually. Court documents did not specify whether the bail amount remains.