Keith Obrien Martinear, 35, Alabama
HANCOCK COUNTY — An inmate in the Hancock County Jail who was charged with a prisoner possessing a dangerous device crime in December 2023 has been charged with the same crime following an incident inside the jail in June.
Keith Obrien Martinear, 35, Alabama, who was originally in jail for resisting law enforcement and public nudity misdemeanor crimes in October 2023, was charged with a Level 5 felony count of a prisoner possessing a dangerous device in December 2023. This week, he was officially charged with two more Level 5 felony counts of a prisoner possessing a dangerous device and a Level 6 felony count of intimidation from the incident which happened June 18.
Martinear had an initial hearing on the new charges this week in Hancock County Superior Court 1 earlier this week. Judge D.J. Davis entered a not guilty plea on the defendant’s behalf and set a $10,000 cash bond. A status hearing for more information on his defense attorney has been set for Wednesday, July 17.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officials at the jail were keeping an eye on Martinear due to his previous charge of possessing a dangerous device when they noticed he was upset following a phone call. Officials noted Martinear began wrapping an unknown object in white material and they became concerned.
The report noted Martinear was then observed getting on the ground and where it looked like he was sharpening an object, which officials believed was a shank, on a metal drain. Officials then approached Martinear who was inside his cell and asked him to surrender the object, but he instead poured water over his head and towards the door where jail officials were. He also placed the objects he had in his hands alerting officials to two difference objects, the affidavit said.
Due to the fact Martinear would not give up the objects officials at the jail decided they needed to get whatever he had from him and called for reinforcement from law enforcement to provide cover. Martinear then grabbed his jail provided mattress for a shield from officials, the report stated after officers had pulled out their tasers when he wouldn’t cooperate.
Martinear, the report stated was told to drop the improvised weapons as well as the mattress but he refused. Officials noted in the report, “Martinear was holding up a blue jail issued mattress with his hands where he also was holding two sharpened improvised weapons, one in each hand.”
According to the affidavit, officials eventually got the mattress away from Martinear, tased him due to the fact he would not comply and noted the improvised weapons were secured to his fingers with cloth. Despite being tased and in restraints officials noted Martinear began spitting at jail staff and officials as well as threatening the officers telling them he was going to shoot them and kill their children, the report said.
Officials placed Martinear in a protective wrap and into a padded cell due to his behavior the report said. Medical staff attempted to check Martinear’s vitals however, he refused the check and would not open his hands for medical staff, officials said in the report.
The report said Martinear had a sharpened red spork wrapped in cloth as one weapon and sharpened black plastic pieces of a pick comb wrapped in cloth as well as two other pick combs from the jail’s commissary where Martinear got the black plastic for that improvised weapon.
