30 Years for Prison Shank

At a hearing Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Brian Medlin, 21, of the 3300 block of Woodland Ave. pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder. Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Smith to 30 years in prison. Details from SA's office, edited for style:

On March 15, 2007 at 3:45 p.m. Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC) inmates Medlin and the victim, Michael Reed, 23, were en route from the Mitchell Courthouse to BCDC in a prison van. Medlin, a self-proclaimed Blood member, was able to free himself from restraints. He produced a “shank” (homemade knife) and proceeded to stab Reed, who was in restraints, in head, face, upper torso, hand, chest, and legs. As the van arrived at BCDC, a Division of Correction Swift Response Team observed confrontation in van and immediately stopped the assault and recovered the shank. Reed suffered a collapsed lung. Medlin was being held on a narcotics charge; Reed had pleaded guilty that day to an assault charge and is currently serving a 15-year-suspend-all-but-eight-year prison term.

Assistant State’s Attorney Brandis Marsh prosecuted this case.