April 24, 2006 – Four men, two of whom are already serving life sentences at Golden Grove Prison following their conviction for the March 1994 ambush slaying of Police officer Stephen Hodge, were charged Monday with multiple counts of first-degree murder in last month‛s killing of fellow inmate Timothy Heidman.
Police Commissioner Elton Lewis, in a released statement, identified the four men as Carlos Fleming, 36, Pedro Harris, 35, Maurice Richardson, 30, and Kareem Richardson, 30.
The arrests come a little more than a month after 23-year-old Heidman died of multiple stab wounds on March 21 following a fight inside the prison. ( See “One Inmate Killed, Several Injured in Prison Yard Fight“).
According to statement by Lewis, the four men "allegedly conspired to inflict serious bodily harm on the victim, Timothy Heidman, by getting involved in a physical altercation."
During the fight, Lewis said, the victim was stabbed several times about the body which led to his death.
In addition to first-degree murder, the four face several other charges ranging from assault and voluntary manslaughter to possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime.
Police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Hannah said Monday that an investigation revealed that Heidman had been stabbed with home-made shanks.
Hannah said the four men will stand trial even though they‛re already imprisoned.
Maurice Richardson, Harris and Fleming were convicted in 1996 along with Gent Mosby in the killing 26-year-old officer Hodge on March 27, 1994, just a few days before his birthday.
A Superior Court jury on St. Thomas returned guilty verdicts on a host of charges including first-degree murder, which carried an automatic life sentence, against Maurice Richardson and Harris.
Harris, who has maintained his innocence since his conviction in the Hodge killing and has had letters published in a local newspaper protesting his conviction and subsequent imprisonment, faces two counts of first-degree murder, third-degree assault and voluntary manslaughter in the Heidman killing.
Fleming, who was convicted of lesser charges in the Hodge slaying, was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Hannah did not immediately know the charges against Kareem Richardson that led to his initial imprisonment.
But in the Heidman killing, the men face multiple charges.
Kareem Richardson is charged with first-degree murder, assault, voluntary manslaughter and possession of a deadly weapon.
Maurice Richardson is charged with first-degree murder, assault, voluntary manslaughter and possession of a deadly weapon.
Harris is charged with first-degree murder, assault and voluntary manslaughter.
Fleming is charged with first-degree murder, assault, voluntary manslaughter and possession of a deadly weapon.

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