A South Carolina inmate has been ordered to serve an additional 15 years in prison after a violent attack on a correctional officer at McCormick Correctional Institution earlier this year.
According to Local 12 News, 35-year-old Donald Harper Jr., of Richland County, pleaded guilty this week to throwing bodily fluids at a correctional officer.
The incident occurred on January 11, while the officer was delivering meals to inmates in Harper’s dormitory.
Court records show that as the officer handed Harper his dinner tray, Harper threw a cup of diarrhea directly into the officer’s face. The fecal matter struck the officer in both the mouth and eyes.
Officials said the officer required immediate medical care and has since undergone monitoring for potential exposure to infectious diseases.
At the sentencing hearing, Assistant Solicitor Doug Fender requested the maximum punishment, citing Harper’s lengthy criminal history as well as repeated disciplinary issues while incarcerated under the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Judge David P. Caraker Jr. agreed, sentencing Harper to 15 additional years to be served consecutively. That means the new time will not overlap with Harper’s current sentence but instead begin after it concludes.
Previously, Harper’s projected release date was 2036. With this week’s ruling, he is not expected to leave prison until at least 2051.
Harper’s criminal record in Richland County includes several serious offenses. According to court documents, his past charges include breach of peace, second-degree burglary, voluntary manslaughter, pointing and presenting a firearm, and armed robbery.
In 2015, Harper was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the shooting death of a Benedict College instructor in Columbia, South Carolina. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison for that crime.
The incident at McCormick Correctional Institution adds another significant conviction to Harper’s record. The facility, operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, houses some of the state’s most serious offenders.
Officials confirmed that Harper will remain there, serving both his current and newly imposed sentence.