EVERETT — Just a few hours after prosecutors ratcheted up the murder charge against Joshua Monson, the alleged lawyer stabber reportedly assaulted a Snohomish County corrections officer.
Monson already is accused of assaulting a handful of corrections officers at the jail during his year in custody. He’s also accused of attacking three of his attorneys with smuggled pencils and one lawyer’s own pen. He could face an additional charge in connection with Thursday’s assault.
The latest attack reportedly occurred while meeting with his attorney at the jail. He was allowed to have one of his hands free to sign some paperwork. That’s when he allegedly punched a corrections sergeant in the face, Snohomish County sheriff’s Chief Kevin Prentiss said.
The sergeant wasn’t seriously injured.
Monson, 28, had spent most of Thursday morning in court hearings. The first hearing was delayed about 45 minutes after Monson refused to leave his jail cell. A judge ordered corrections officers to forcibly remove Monson and haul him to the courthouse.
Monson was rolled in with a seven-man escort. He was strapped to a chair with his arms and legs restrained — a safety measure jail staff has taken since Monson attacked his first attorney in May.
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Laura Twitchell charged Monson with first-degree murder with a firearm. He initially was charged with second-degree murder in connection with a Jan. 2, 2011, shooting.
An unarmed Brian Jones, 30, was talking on a cellphone when he was shot in the back of the head at close range, according to court documents. A witness reportedly told detectives that Monson admitted that he killed Jones, court papers say. Other witnesses said that there may have been bad blood between the two because of a woman.
Monson on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Corrections officers then wheeled him down to another courtroom. Lawyers there agreed to reschedule the trial for three assault charges to May. He’s accused of stabbing two attorneys with pencils he smuggled from the jail and assaulting a corrections officer.
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Ed Stemler also told the judge that he has reviewed five additional cases — a third attorney stabbing and additional assaults on corrections officers.
Thursday’s assault was not included in that tally.
Monson is expected to be back in court Friday. Lawyers plan to argue over whether jurors should be allowed to hear statements Monson made to police before and after his arrest in the homicide case.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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