EVERETT — Investigators say a murder suspect who attacked two of his attorneys with pencils has resorted to using a new weapon — his head.
Joshua Monson, 27, was back in front of a judge Friday afternoon. He’s suspected of head-butting a corrections officer in the shoulder Thursday evening during a search of his cell at the Snohomish County Jail.
A camera caught the incident on tape and investigators say the footage clearly shows Monson attempting to ram his head into the head of a corrections officer, according to a police affidavit filed Friday in Everett District Court.
Monson was in handcuffs and leg restraints when officers led him out of his cell. An officer began searching him. The video shows Monson looking from side to side “as if he was evaluating the situation and number of deputies in the immediate area,” police wrote.
Corrections officers finished the search and walked Monson back into his cell. Monson looked around again and then lunged at the corrections officer, court papers said.
The officer side-stepped the head-to-head contact. Instead, the 5-foot-5-inch tall Monson’s head landed a blow to the officer’s shoulder.
Officers shoved Monson to the ground and tethered him to a chair.
He was strapped to a chair and rolled in front of a camera Friday to make his appearance in District Court.
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Randy Yates asked the judge to find probable cause to hold Monson for third-degree assault.
Yates noted that Monson already is being held on $1 million bail for a second-degree murder charge. The prosecutor also reminded the judge that Monson recently attacked two of his defense attorneys.
Monson smiled at that.
Prosecutors are still reviewing those incidents and haven’t yet filed charges.
Since Thursday’s night’s incident, Monson has been moved to a different section of the jail, sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
“Obviously we’re aware he has a tendency to act out so we’re being careful,” she said.
Monson is accused of shooting a man in the head without provocation. Brian Jones, 30, was talking on a cellphone in a south Everett apartment when he was shot from behind at close range. The murder trial is scheduled for January.
State doctors last month concluded that Monson is competent to stand trial.
His mental state was called into question after he attacked his attorneys. The first incident happened at the start of Monson’s drug trial. He was given a new lawyer. He allegedly attacked that man during a court hearing. The lawyers were not seriously hurt.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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