Leavenworth prison inmate broke another prisoner’s skull with metal pipe over insult
A prison inmate pleaded guilty Monday to fracturing another prisoner’s skull with a metal pipe at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth.
The January 2016 assault left the victim severely injured and in a “semi-vegetative state” for several months, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.
On Monday, Jimmy A. Eastep Jr., 49, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to his plea agreement, Eastep assaulted Michael Seaman after Seaman called him a “bitch.”
A 20-inch metal pipe with blood on it was found on the floor next to Seaman, according to the agreement.
Seaman, 52, was not able to communicate with investigators until almost a year after the incident.
At that time, his hearing was “severely impaired,” and he could communicate only through written notes.
He thought he had been paroled and did not remember being attacked.
Eastep was linked to the assault by DNA testing, according to the court documents.
The plea agreement calls for an additional sentence of three years and six moths for Eastep.
This story was originally published January 28, 2019 at 12:39 PM.
