An Indiana man, James E. Phillips, 47, has been convicted of attempted murder after a 2023 assault on a corrections officer at Pendleton Correctional Facility. While already serving a 55-year sentence for murder, Phillips attacked a jail officer using a knife on October 6, 2023. According to WTHR, the attack occurred around 1 p.m. on the second floor of a cell block, leaving the officer with multiple wounds, including cuts to the nose, forehead, neck, and top of his head.
The trial, lasting two days, culminated in Phillips’s conviction last Thursday. After the attack, the injured officer was unable to radio for help, as Phillips began trying to stab him. Security footage showed Phillips striking the officer multiple times and even placing him in a chokehold before another officer intervened. As a result of his actions, Phillips was tackled and subdued by the second officer, who put him in a chokehold, reported Corrections1. The second officer also sustained injuries including a sharp pain in his shoulder and a scratch on the head.
Phillips has since been transferred and is currently held at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. Alongside the attempted murder conviction, he was also found guilty of possessing a deadly weapon as a prisoner and a habitual offender enhancement. The latter charge is due to Phillips’s extensive criminal history, as noted in proceedings reported by WISH-TV. This combination of charges could potentially lead to Phillips facing an additional 28 to 60 years behind bars…