Prison inmate found guilty of some charges in assault on guards, others

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — An inmate at the Ohio State Penitentiary has been found guilty of some of the charges lodged against him for an assault on prison guards and others inside the prison.

Dajuan R. Burns, 23, was indicted on charges of possessing a sharp metal object, felonious assault on a corrections officer, assault on another corrections officer and six counts of harassing people with his bodily substances.

The victims of the bodily substance harassment are listed as two corrections lieutenants, three corrections officers and a civilian.

The harassment with bodily substance charges said Burns expelled blood, semen, urine, feces or other bodily substances on the victims.

Burns’ trial began Monday before Judge Scott R. Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and a jury of five men and seven women. The jury began deliberations Wednesday morning after two days of testimony.

By late Wednesday afternoon, the jurors had reached a verdict.

The jury found Burns guilty of possession of a deadly weapon while in prison and also found him guilty of felonious assault on a corrections officer. The jury found Burns innocent on all seven remaining charges.

Burns faces up to 13 years’ additional prison time on the new convictions. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Burns is serving time for assault, harassment, felonious assault and possessing a deadly weapon while under detention. His release date, before any additional jail time for the new charges, is August 2016.

jgoodwin@vindy.com