A Kenton County jury has found Hiram Martinez Hernandez guilty of Second Degree Assault for stabbing another inmate repeatedly with a shank crafted from a piece of a mop.
The same jury recommended that Hernandez serve 7 1/2 years in prison. Formal final sentencing will be in March before Kenton Circuit Judge Patricia Summe.
Hernandez
On July 24, 2019, Kenton County Detention Center inmate Trevor Scott was caught trying to pass marijuana to an inmate in another dormitory via the commissary cart.
As a result, jail staff removed the commissary cart, depriving other inmates in Scott’s dorm of its snacks. In apparent retaliation, Hiram Hernandez attacked Scott.
Hernandez produced a shank fashioned out of sharpened metal wire from a mop head and repeatedly stabbed Scott in the back. Kenton County Detention Center staff quickly stopped the attack from continuing but not before Scott received multiple puncture wounds.
Deputies seized the shank and took photos of Scott’s injuries. The assault was captured on the jail’s video surveillance and body camera footage from the corrections officers.
Surveillance photo courtesy of the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney (click to enlarge).
The case was called for trial on January 28 before Kenton Circuit Judge Patricia Summe. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Aaron Levinson and Noel Hudson presented evidence and testimony from Deputy Jailers Brian Jennings and Alexander Brown, as well as Sergeant Carrie Ray.
Prosecutors introduced the weapon used by Hernandez and showed the jury photos of the mop from which it had been removed. They also pointed to the end of the metal piece where it had obviously been sharpened to a point.
The jury also watched the surveillance and body cam videos of the attack. The jury did not, however, hear from Scott.
He was released from custody prior to trial and was unable to be located.
This shank was introduced as evidence at the trial.
At sentencing, Sergeant Ray testified that although assaults with weapons at the Kenton County Detention Center are rare, they need to be treated harshly to deter other inmates from making and using weapons.
The jury agreed and sentenced Hernandez to serve seven years and six months in prison. Hernandez was in the Kenton County Detention Center awaiting trial on Attempted Murder, Assault Second Degree, and Wanton Endangerment charges.
Those charges are still pending.
Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney
