Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah State Prison inmate accused of getting into a fight with another inmate because he was too loud, resulting in the man's death, pleaded guilty to reduced charges Monday.
Samuel Wise, 27, was originally charged with homicide by assault and assault by a prisoner, both third-degree felonies. He pleaded guilty Monday to assault by a prisoner, a third-degree felony, and negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor.
On Sept. 13, 2014, Wise and Christopher Lucas, 26, who was housed in an adjoining cell, got into a verbal argument. Wise was reportedly upset that Lucas made "too much noise early in the morning," according to charging documents. When the cell doors were opened for recreation time, Wise walked into Lucas' cell and a physical fight ensued.
When corrections officers ordered everyone back into their cells and shut the doors, Wise stayed in Lucas' cell and the fight continued. One corrections officer used an entire can of peppery spray on Wise to try to break up the fight, while others fired 14 pepper balls at Wise, hitting him in the back.
Shortly after breaking up the fight, Lucas collapsed. He died at a local hospital about an hour later, charges state. The cause of death was determined to be cardiopulmonary arrest due to adrenaline from the physical altercation and exposure to pepper spray, according to the charges.
Related:
DA: Inmate's death not result of law enforcement wrongdoing
The death of a Utah State Prison inmate in September was not the result of wrongdoing by law enforcement personnel, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.Wise spent "a better part of a year" in solitary confinement following the incident, according to his attorney. He was sentenced Monday to time served for the felony, and up to a year in prison for the misdemeanor, which the judge said he could serve concurrently with his current sentence.
Wise was originally sentenced to up to five years in prison in 2013 for aggravated assault.
Lucas was serving a one- to 15-year sentence for pleading guilty but mentally ill to forcible sexual abuse. He had been at the prison since June 19, 2009.
