By Jacob Seibel
The Citizens’ Voice
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Hands cuffed behind his back, an inmate at State Correctional Institution at Retreat headbutted a correctional officer down a set of stairs, according to state police.
An arrest affidavit said two correctional officers were escorting Jeffrey Shipman, 20, from a housing unit to the exercise yard Sept. 29 when the inmate, whose restraints were tethered to the victim, headbutted Donald McGill in his right temple, sending both falling down the stairs. McGill was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township with a concussion.
McGill told state police at Shickshinny he was holding the tether close to his body when Shipman “just sprung and did it.” He said he didn’t remember much after being headbutted because he was “out of it for a bit.” Gary Teasdale Jr., the other correctional officer following behind the two during the escort, told police they were walking down the stairs when Shipman turned around and assaulted McGill. Both men fell down the stairs, he said, then Shipman continued to kick the victim while they were lying on the floor.
Shipman offered another story to investigators, however.
Shipman claimed the correctional officers retaliated against him for spitting on another correctional officer. He told police when he and the correctional officers reached the stairwell, McGill started punching him. He said he fell and pulled McGill down with him because they were tethered. He also said Teasdale kicked him.
SCI-Retreat spokeswoman Christine McMillan said state police are investigating Shipman’s allegations against the correctional officers. Neither correctional officer has been charged.
The same day Shipman was arraigned for aggravated harassment by a prisoner and assault for the incident in the stairwell he was charged for spitting in the face of Correctional Officer Edward Osmulski on Aug. 25. Shipman told police he spit on the correctional officer because he felt threatened, and because he was handcuffed, the only thing he could do was spit, saying he was frustrated, tired and “sick of all the (expletive) going on around here.”
Pennsylvania court records show Shipman has a criminal history out of Franklin County for aggravated assault and indecent assault without consent of other. As an inmate, Shipman was also charged in separate incidents this year and last for aggravated harassment by a prisoner.