Trial set for Putnamville inmate

A trial date has been set for a Putnamville Correctional Facility inmate charged with Class B felony aggravated battery and Class D felony criminal recklessness causing serious bodily injury.

Renaldo G. Hardy, 26, of Greencastle was sentenced to six years in prison on Oct. 11, 2007 for dealing in cocaine or narcotic drugs. He was charged in November in connection with an Aug. 4 incident at the prison in which he allegedly struck and threw hot liquid onto Jason Miles, another inmate.

Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Headley set Hardy's trial for May 13. Hardy's final pretrial conference will be held on April 23, and ant plea agreements in the case must be filed by April 16.

A report prepared by Indiana State Police Trooper Jim Dungan said he was contacted by Putnamville Internal Affairs Officer Quentin Storm on Aug. 4, and that Storm "advised me that an inmate by the name of Renaldo Hardy had thrown hot liquid onto inmate Jason Miles, resulting in serious burns."

On Aug. 5, Hardy told Dungan that his personal property was being repeatedly taken from his bunk area, and that Hardy would often see Miles in possession of the items he was missing.

Hardy admitted to Dungan that he hit a sleeping Miles in the head with his first two times and then threw a cup of hot water in Miles' face, court documents said.

Miles was taken to the medical unit at Putnamville, and was later transferred to the burn unit at Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis, court documents said.