HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County inmate with three cases against him had his preliminary hearings held in absentia at the Blair County Courthouse on Thursday after his repeated refusals to participate or apply for legal counsel.

Mulbarak Jamison Alexander, 32, is facing a total of three felony counts of aggravated assault, three felony counts of aggravated harassment by a prisoner, a single felony count of assault by a prisoner on a facility employee, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and two summary counts of harassment. He remains in custody at the Blair County Prison in lieu of combined $200,000 bails.

Before the proceedings, presiding Magisterial District Judge Paula M. Aigner said she was considering them “in absentia since (Alexander) is aware of them and is refusing to participate.”

She allowed Public Defender Tyler Rowles to act as Alexander’s legal representation for the preliminary hearings, saying she had encouraged Alexander to fill out applications for a public defender following his preliminary arraignments, but he refused. Aigner said she would later take court action to have an attorney appointed to defend Alexander.

A Blair County Prison corrections officer was the first person called to testify and said he was helping take Alexander to a cell on a different floor on May 23 when Alexander “lunged up” and bit him in the “shoulder area” and punched him above the right eye.

Another victim, who also works as a CO at the prison, testified in relation to Alexander’s second case. She said there was an all-hands call for a fight and she was at a cell block’s shower gate trying to hand a cuff key to a sergeant. The victim then “heard something splatter” and felt liquid on her. When she looked, she “saw a foam cup shattered on the ground” and feces and urine.

The victim said they went to the medical area with a second victim to help them clean up because the second victim was “covered head to toe.”

“It was in my hair, on my shirt, on my pants, in my boots,” the second victim said. “There was no mistaking what it was.”

Hollidaysburg Police Officer Cassandra Vaughn reported to the prison for the assault and watched the subsequent surveillance video, confirming that it matched the victim’s testimony.

In an incident on July 14, Deputy Warden of Administration Cory Yedlosky said Alexander was “to be under constant watch” but had the camera in his cell covered. When Yedlosky went to instruct Alexander to uncover the camera, he said Alexander became “very irate.” Yedlosky then requested back-up.

When the cell door was opened and Alexander was cuffed and being brought out, Yedlosky said Alexander brought his cuffed hands from his waist up to over his shoulder, striking him in the face.

“It took me to the ground,” Yedlosky said.

The camera was then uncovered and Alexander was placed back into the cell without further incident, Yedlosky said.

Hollidaysburg Detective Jeff Friday said he responded to the prison “on another call about Alexander” and watched surveillance footage of the incident. He confirmed that what he saw on video corroborated Yedlosky’s version of events.

Aigner ultimately held all charges across Alexander’s three cases to the Blair County Court of Common Pleas. His next court dates are scheduled for Aug. 15.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.