By Peter E. Bortner
Republican & Herald
POTTSVILLE, Pa. — A Schuylkill County jury convicted a state prison inmate on Thursday of assaulting two corrections officers in September 2014.
Michael J. Scullen, 23, is guilty of two counts of simple assault, the jury of nine men and three women decided after deliberating about 1 1/2 hours.
However, the same jurors ruled Scullen, who did not react to the verdict, not guilty of two counts each of aggravated assault and assault by prisoner.
President Judge William E. Baldwin, who presided over Scullen’s one-day trial, found him guilty of two counts of harassment, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would schedule sentencing at a later date.
State police at Frackville charged Scullen with assaulting Joseph Lynch and Mitchell Sarkowski on Sept. 8, 2014, in the property room at State Correctional Institution/Frackville in Ryan Township.
“At first, I was a little stunned,” Lynch testified. “I took a couple blows.”
Lynch said Scullen’s punches hurt him in the head and jaw.
“My vision was getting a little blurry. It hurt. He hurt me,” Lynch, who still wears dark glasses due to his injuries, said. “Loud noises, bright lights hurt my head.”
Lynch said he no longer can be a Boy Scout leader or help coach his children’s sports teams.
“I can’t even walk four miles anymore without pain,” he said.
Sarkowski testified he suffered his injuries trying to restrain Scullen.
“I had received a lower back injury in the restraining part,” he said.
State police Trooper Melissa A. Kyper testified Scullen admitted assaulting Lynch and Sarkowski.
“He felt the (corrections officers) were disrespectful toward him,” she said.
Julie A. Werdt, Orwigsburg, Scullen’s lawyer, said in her closing argument that prosecutors had not proven their case.
“There were a couple things that didn’t make sense,” she said. “Not everything is consistent. What it amounts to ... is reasonable doubt.”
Assistant District Attorney Kimm M. Montone argued that Scullen’s guilt was clear.
“When the defendant realized he was being disrespected, he got out of his chair and punched a corrections officer,” he said. “That was the evidence you heard here today.”