Hearing held on inmate’s motion to withdraw plea in Houtzdale riot

One of the inmates allegedly involved in a riot at Houtzdale state prison was back in Clearfield County Court on Tuesday.

Yafest Oliver, 27, is charged with four counts each of aggravated assault, assault by prisoner, simple assault and harassment in addition to riot and disorderly conduct. According to previous reports, Oliver was one of several inmates who kicked and punched corrections officers at the prison in April, 2015. Four officers who were injured that day had to be taken to UPMC Altoona for treatment. The facility was on lockdown for about eight hours.

Oliver signed a plea agreement on June 16, but in July he informed his attorney that he wanted to withdraw that plea. An official motion to withdraw the plea was then filed.

A hearing to discuss this motion was held Tuesday morning before President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman.

Oliver, attending via the video conference system from Smithfield state prison, explained that he was under the influence of Topamax and Benadryl when he signed the agreement and didn’t understand what he was doing. He stated that he was innocent and wants to take his case to trial. He also said he has limited reading skills, which made it difficult for him to answer the questions on the written colloquy form.

It was determined that testimony from medical personnel from the prison Oliver was residing in during June is necessary in this case. The hearing will be continued at a later date after the appropriate witnesses are contacted and a new court date scheduled.

Oliver is serving a 20- to 40-year sentence for a 2008 murder in Philadelphia.

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Hearing held on inmate’s motion to withdraw plea in Houtzdale riot."