CLEARFIELD – A former inmate of the state prison in Houtzdale pleaded guilty Tuesday to seriously injuring a corrections officer.
Officials say in June the inmate, Dion Capers, 32, assaulted the CO causing a traumatic brain injury and a skull fracture, according to the report.
On Tuesday during sentencing court, Capers apologized to the victim and explained he has battled mental health issues including depression and suicidal thoughts most of his adult life.
In response to this, District Attorney Ryan Sayers noted that Capers had “no remorse at the time of the incident” and was actually bragging about the assault.
The victim has lost other potential job opportunities because of his injuries, Sayers explained, adding that the person who found the CO after the assault now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.
Sayers asked Judge Paul Cherry to give Capers a period of incarceration that runs consecutive to Capers’ current sentence of 17 to 40 years. Online court records indicate Capers was sentenced to this period of incarceration in October of 2016 after he pleaded guilty to murder of the third-degree in Philadelphia County.
Cherry agreed, sentencing Capers to a consecutive term of 7 ½ years to 15 years in state prison followed by 12 months re-entry supervision on one count of aggravated assault.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, as the CO was doing his rounds, Capers came out of his cell and punched him several times as he fought with him.
During this fight, the CO fell and hit his head on the floor, causing him to become unconscious.
While the CO was lying on the floor, witnesses saw Capers punch the CO two to three more times in the head.
Capers then reportedly bragged that he left the man “shaking” and said he sent him into a seizure “with no weapons.”
Investigators say a video of the incident captured Capers saying that the CO was “bleeding out his head, shaking on the ground like a baby.”
Capers went on to say, he could have “held his breath and killed him.”
