A recent incident at the Cuyahoga County Jail captured on video showcases Delawnte Hardy, the man accused of murdering Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter and his grandmother in an attempt to break free from custody violently. The video, which the FOX 8 I-Team obtained, shows Hardy suddenly trying to hastily make his escape while being let out of his cell to shower, resulting in a confrontation that ended with corrections officers using pepper spray to subdue him.
This is not the first time Hardy has caused uproar behind bars; in another recent incident reported by Cleveland19, he was said to have kicked out the window of his cell. This pattern of behavior has prompted prosecutors to send Hardy to the Court Psychiatric Clinic for a mental health evaluation, which could become a pivotal point in his case.
During the escape attempt on July 20th, body camera footage reveals a corrections officer questioning, "Where are you running to?" as Hardy fled. A corrections officer further explained in the video, "Soon as I popped him out, he just started running. I’m like, hey, where are you…oh escape! He tried to run out." according to Cleveland19, One corrections officer was injured during the attempt to restrain Hardy. Following the skirmish, Hardy received medical attention before returning to his cell.
Delawnte Hardy, who is currently detained for the fatal shooting of his grandmother and Officer Ritter on July 4, had already been flagged with mental health concerns. A relative of Hardy had told the FOX 8 I-Team that he was slated to seek mental health services the day the suspected killings occurred. In a previous judgment, Cleveland Municipal Court had declared Hardy incompetent to stand trial, describing him as having "illogical thoughts" and a "lack of comprehension."
