Patrick Andrews, Murder in Federal Prison, West Virginia 2007

Grimy Times Exclusive: Justice Served in Brutal Prison Murder

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - In a shocking turn of events, Patrick Andrews, a 34-year-old former Washington D.C. resident, has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the brutal murder of fellow inmate Jesse Harris at the U.S. Penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia.

The gruesome crime took place on October 7, 2007, when Andrews and fellow inmate Kevin Bellinger orchestrated a deadly attack on Harris. According to evidence presented during Bellinger's trial in 2014, the two attackers stabbed Harris multiple times with homemade knives, leaving him to die from his injuries.

Harris, who was unarmed and backing away from his attackers, was seen on surveillance footage being repeatedly stabbed by Andrews and Bellinger. A correctional officer arrived on the scene just a minute into the attack, but the attackers fled, leaving Harris to die.

Andrews was serving a sentence of 35 years to life in prison at the time of the murder for two separate murders that took place in 1997 and 2000. Bellinger, who was also serving a life sentence, was convicted of murder by a federal jury in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison in October of that year.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar and Trial Attorney Richard Burns from the Criminal Division's Capital Case Section leading the prosecution.

U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II commended the investigators and prosecutors for their hard work in bringing justice to the victims and their families. 'This case is a stark reminder of the dangers and violence that can occur in our prisons,' Ihlenfeld said. 'We are committed to holding those responsible accountable for their actions.'

Andrews' life sentence is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement and the justice system in pursuing justice for victims of violent crime, even in the darkest corners of our prisons.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/federal-inmate-sentenced-life-prison-murder-fellow-prisoner