Inmate Stabbed After Juice Box Dispute, Accused Man Sentenced: Anne Arundel Prosecutors

JESSUP, MD — A man accused of stabbing a fellow inmate after a juice box dispute was recently sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years, Anne Arundel County prosecutors said.

County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said the accused man, 35-year-old Courtney Butler of Cumberland, was already serving time for a 2009 crime in Baltimore County. The new sentence will begin after his previous 35-year sentence is up.

“To attempt to take a life over something so trivial is extremely disturbing and shows the defendant has no regard for human life,” Leitess said last Friday in a press release announcing the sentencing. “This wasn’t a spur of the moment crime as the defendant stewed and planned this attack. I appreciate the judge’s sentence as it will keep this defendant out of our community.”

Prosecutors said Judge Cathleen M. Vitale found Butler guilty of:

• Attempted first-degree murder
• Attempted second-degree murder
• First-degree assault
• Reckless endangerment
• Weapons violations

Court records show that Butler pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is appealing the verdict.

Leitess said the attack happened on March 25, 2021 at the Jessup Correctional Institution.

The state's attorney said Butler, the victim and a third inmate got in an argument about the distribution of several juice boxes.

Butler then threatened the victim and repeatedly walked past his cell over the course of 6 hours, prosecutors said.

Leitess also said Butler made a phone call and told a woman he was planning to do something that would cost him his job as an inmate worker.

The state's attorney said the woman encouraged Butler not to do anything, but Butler refused.

Prosecutors said the victim sat down at a telephone bank in the dayroom just after 6:30 p.m.

Butler walked up behind the victim and stabbed him multiple times in the back with a knife-like object before throwing him to the ground, Leitess alleged.

The state's attorney said medics took the victim to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was treated.

Assistant States Attorney Nancy Olin prosecuted the case.