Lawrence Johnson, 26, who is charged with the murder of Alisha Samuels and the attempted murder of a man, was assaulted and robbed inside HMP Liverpool in Walton over the weekend. The incident was captured on video and has been widely shared on social media.
Johnson is on remand at the prison ahead of a crown court hearing next month, after being charged and remanded in custody following his appearance at Manchester Magistrates' Court on October 21.
Incident in Walton prison
In a video seen by the ECHO, Johnson, wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit, is filmed inside a prison cell surrounded by several other inmates. The person filming can be heard saying: "Bro, you're getting chopped up. Sit down, bro. Smash him up." An unidentified prisoner then punches Johnson several times to the face, before the man filming says: "Take his s*** off him."
The footage has since been shared extensively on social media. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson told the ECHO: "Violence will not be tolerated in the prison estate, and this incident was swiftly dealt with. Having a phone behind bars is unacceptable and we have ordered the immediate removal of these posts while investigating how this was able to happen."
Background to the charges
Police officers were called to Dorking Avenue in the Newton Heath area of Manchester at around 2am on October 15, where they found Ms Samuels, 26, with multiple stab wounds and pronounced her dead at the scene. Johnson, of Dorking Avenue, was later arrested by armed officers on Galsworthy Avenue in Bootle on October 19.
Two other men - Carl Hardy, 19, of Shaldon Drive in Manchester, and Tony Evans, 19, of Dorking Avenue - were also charged with the murder of Ms Samuels and attempted murder. Both were remanded in custody and appeared at magistrates' court on October 23.
Investigation and tributes
Greater Manchester Police Detective Chief Inspector Justin Bryant, the senior investigating officer, said: "We are working tirelessly to establish the full circumstances of this attack, and to provide Alisha's family with some answers. My thoughts remain with them as they navigate this tremendous loss."
Ms Samuels' friend Carris Mallon said: "She was taken far too soon, in such a horrific way. The world was too evil for her. She was the most precious soul in the whole entire world, not a person she met who could say anything bad." A fundraiser set up to help Ms Samuels' parents had raised nearly £16,500 of its £20,000 target at the time of writing.
