Inmate will get more time after coffee clash

A 30-year-old inmate, seemingly nothing more than an innocent bystander in one Putnamville Correctional Facility (PCF) altercation, will serve an additional 18 months in prison as a result of instigating a second confrontation.

Christopher A. Edwards, already serving 20 years out of Marion County for the attempted murder of his cousin in January 2005, was sentenced to 18 months more Wednesday in Putnam Superior Court.

Edwards appeared before Judge Denny Bridges for a change of plea and sentencing hearing in a July 26, 2013 incident that began when fellow inmate Anthony Williams, 40, Indianapolis, hurled a cup of coffee at a third inmate, reportedly splashing Edwards in the process.

After the inmates subsequently left the PCF dining area for the rec room, Edwards confronted Williams, breaking his jaw with a punch to the face.

He was initially charged with a Class C felony of battery causing serious bodily injury but reached a plea agreement to admit guilt to a Class D felony charge.

"Yay, I hit him, yes, sir," Edwards admitted matter of factly under questioning by Deputy Prosecutor James Hanner.

"This is one of those true prison cases," defense attorney Scott Adams noted, explaining that Edwards' actions were the result of "unintended consequences" for being in the splash zone when a cup of coffee was tossed in his general direction.

Although Williams reportedly wasn't trying to involve Edwards in the altercation, his poor aim embroiled the unintended target nonetheless.

"He threw some coffee on me," Edwards said, unable to justify his later actions.

"Why didn't you throw coffee back?" Hanner asked.

"I don't know," the inmate said, shaking his head and smiling.

"Had the guy intentionally thrown coffee at him (Edwards), I probably wouldn't even have charged him," Hanner said, characterizing the defendant as having a "pretty short fuse" and needing to take responsibility for his actions.

"But three years is too much," the prosecutor said, alluding to the presumptive sentence for a Class D felony. "Give him a year and a half and send him down the road."

Defense attorney Adams agreed with the terms but not the characterization.

"A short fuse or a good punch," Adams offered, "it depends on how you look at it, judge."

Bridges looked at it as a learning experience.

"One of the purposes of incarceration," he said, "is to teach (inmates) not to react with a punch to things like coffee being thrown."

The judge agreed with the suggested sentence, adding 18 months to Edwards' stay at Putnamville.

Edwards, who had been due for an October 2016 release on the attempted murder charge, will then spend two years on probation from Marion County. However, there will be no probation as a part of the Putnam process.