Inmate Accused of Assaulting Jail Guard Waives Preliminary Hearing

| March 23, 2018

FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – A Venango County Jail inmate accused of assaulting a prison guard waived his preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

Court documents indicate that the following charges against Keith Lamar Morgan, 48, of Oil City, have been transferred to Venango County Court of Common Pleas:

– Aggravated Assault, Felony 2 (five counts)
– Assault by Prisoner, Felony 2 (five counts)
– Disorderly Conduct, Misdemeanor 3

Morgan’s case is working its way through the court system.

Details of the jail guard assault case:

According to a criminal complaint filed on Thursday, March 15, Franklin Police Officers arrived at the Venango County Jail on Tuesday, March 13, to drop off a prisoner involved in an unrelated incident.

While at the jail, Officer Scott was approached by a correction officer who he noticed was out of breath and breathing heavily. The correction officer said he had been assaulted by an inmate and wanted to press charges.

Video surveillance footage was reviewed which showed Morgan in his cell on lockdown because he had been kicking his cell door. Morgan was kicking his cell door after correction officers told him to stop. Morgan continued to hit the door, telling a correction officer that “he couldn’t stop him.” The correction officer returned to the block, ordered Morgan’s door open, and pepper sprayed him.

Morgan then came out of his cell and began throwing chairs at the correction officer, striking him multiple times and also hitting him in the legs with a table that he had shoved at the officer. The correction officer radioed for help, and two other guards arrived, tackled Morgan, and handcuffed him. Morgan was then taken to the showers to get rinsed off, according to the complaint.

The correction officer suffered bruises, redness, and swelling on the right side of his lower back.

Morgan was originally lodged in the Venango County Jail for the alleged sexual assault of a minor.

Details of the sexual assault case:

According to a criminal complaint filed by Oil City Police Patrolman Webster, the investigation began on April 17, 2017, after an Oil City man filed a report indicating Morgan provided alcohol and marijuana to the man’s 14-year-old daughter. The man presented police with evidence of the allegations via a printed copy of a screenshot from his daughter’s cell phone.

During an April 29 interview with Officer Webster, the victim stated that she drank alcohol and smoked marijuana at Morgan’s residence in March of 2017.

The victim also stated that she slept in Morgan’s bed that night, and he allegedly performed oral sex on her and then briefly penetrated her vagina, according to the complaint.

He faces the following charges in this case:

– Statutory Sexual Assault: 11 Years Older, Felony 1
– Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse Person Less Than 16 Yrs Age, Felony 1
– Aggravated Indecent Assault – Complainant Less Than 16, Felony 2
– Corruption Of Minors, Misdemeanor 1
– Indecent Assault Person Less 16 Years Age, Misdemeanor 2
– Sell/Furnish Liquor Etc. Minor, Misdemeanor 3

Morgan’s criminal record dates back to 1989. He has served time for drug possession with the intent to deliver, and has been on probation for simple assault in the Philadelphia area and in Venango County, according to court documents.


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