Jail assault charged

COLFAX — An Oct. 12 jury date has been set for an inmate who pleaded not guilty to allegedly attacking a Whitman County Jail officer while he was serving the inmates a meal.

According to the police report, Levi Graham, 22, allegedly hit Correction’s Officer Morgan Scharff 11 times on July 2. After the attack, Scharff was taken to Whitman Hospital and Medical Center, treated for a possible concussion and put on medical leave from work for a time.

According to the report, Graham told the interviewing officer after the attack that Scharff was disrespectful to him and talking about him behind his back, and that was the cause for the fight.

Jail security camera video allegedly showed Graham advance on Scharff without provocation.

Scharff told the interviewing officer he thought he was hit two or three times and blacked out at one point.

According to the police report, Scharff was laying on the ground with Graham standing over him, punching at him when he attempted to get up, until another inmate intervened. The inmate told officers he did not know what started the fight.

The security video showed Graham hit the other inmate.

Whitman County Sheriff’s deputies and Colfax Police Department responded to the call of the assault.

Graham is being charged with assault in the second degree. Bail has been set at $50,000. He was originally booked into the jail June 16 on charges of harassment with threat to kill.