Deputy Uncuffing Murder Suspect Slashed With Knife

An inmate being held at the Men’s Central Jail on murder charges slashed a sheriff’s deputy from ear to chin with a homemade knife Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

The 33-year-old deputy, whose identity was withheld pending notification of next of kin, was attacked by Darrel Conely, 23, as the officer removed the inmate’s handcuffs, said Capt. Dennis Dahlman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The deputy was hospitalized in stable condition with a wound eight inches long and “very deep,” authorities said. He was scheduled to undergo plastic surgery.

Assault and mayhem charges will be added to the murder counts against Conely, authorities said.

Conely, who officials say had tried to escape from another jail, was wearing leg irons and handcuffs attached to a waist chain when the deputy escorted him to his cell about 12:30 p.m. from a visiting area where attorneys meet with clients, said Dahlman, the jail’s commander.

“The suspect said, ‘Obviously, you don’t know who I am,’ ” the captain said. “The deputy replied, ‘Yeah, you’re an inmate.’ ”

Dahlman said that after the deputy removed Conely’s leg irons and waist chain, Conely entered his cell and the deputy closed the barred door behind him. When Conely reached through the bars to have the handcuffs removed, the deputy unlocked the right one and was in the process of removing the left when Conely attacked him with his free hand, Dahlman said.