Maryland Prisoner Subject to “Hit” by Gang-Affiliated Guard Receives $40,000 Settlement

A Maryland prisoner received $40,000 to settle a civil rights action that claimed he was assaulted three times due to a “hit” put out by a corrupt guard. The settlement came one week after 25 people, including 13 guards, were indicted by a federal grand jury in a contraband-smuggling conspiracy at the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC).

Prisoner Michael Smith, aka Michael E. Reed, Jr., claimed that when he ended his involvement in the smuggling ring he was subject to the assaults. While confined at BCDC in 2006, Smith entered into an arrangement with the “Bloods” prison gang and a guard named as COII Crew to smuggle heroin, tobacco, and cellphones into BCDC.

Smith cooperated in the ring from October to December, 2006, but when he ended the arrangement, Crew threatened to label him a “snitch.” On March 15, 2007, Smith and four other prisoners were transported by van from BCDC to a court hearing. Before leaving the courthouse after the hearing, Crew “confidentially” spoke to prisoner Brian Medlin. Crew slipped something to Medlin during that conversation.

Before arrival at BCDC, Medlin escaped his 3-point security restraint devices. He then “viciously beat” Smith and stabbed him with a “homemade knife.” Initially, Smith was denied medical care, but when he was found unconscious after shift change he was taken to a hospital.

Upon his March 20, 2007, arrival at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic, and Classification Center (MRDCC), Smith advised “any and all staff” of the nature of his circumstances and that his safety was threatened due to the “hit” on his life. His requests to be placed in protective custody (PC) were denied.

Less than 24 hours after his transfer to Maryland Correctional Institute – Hagerstown, Smith was “viciously attacked” by a “group” of prisoners. He was taken to a hospital to treat his injuries. Rather than being placed on PC, he was placed on administrative segregation “until day of transfer.”

Immediately upon his arrival at Brockbridge Correctional Facility on June 1, 2007, Smith requested PC, which was denied despite detailing all the circumstances revolving around him. Smith was again “viciously assaulted” on July 2. He was stabbed in his right eye and head several times, as well as hit in the head with locks.

He was in the hospital at Jessup Correctional Facility for a week, and upon his transfer to the Central Laundry Facility refused to enter general population. He was sent back to Jessup, where he stayed until placed on PC at Western Correctional Facility.

The Maryland Board of Public Works voted on May 1, 2013, to approve a $40,000 settlement to resolve Smith’s litigation from the events detailed above. In announcing the settlement, Gov. Martin O’Malley also spoke on the federal indictment to help resolve the core issue.

“We have a lot of work that we still need to do, but there’s a lot of progress that has been made, including the capture of 77 percent more cellphones than we ever captured before, including soon-to-be-deployed technology that will allow us to redirect cellphones in any prison in Maryland so as to take away this tool,” O’Malley said. He also noted staff assaults and prisoner-on-prisoner attacks have been significantly reduced since he took office. He credited this to two task forces aimed at ending gang problems and corruption in the state’s prisons. Finally, he said the indictments are the fruit of those task forces. See: Smith v. Filbert, USDC, D. Maryland, Case No PJM-10-653; additional source: Associated Press.

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