Coal Township Inmate Convicted of Felony Assault in 2022 Prison Incident

A jury in Northumberland County has found an inmate at State Correctional Institution Coal Township guilty of felony aggravated assault related to an incident in 2022. The inmate was acquitted of third-degree homicide charges. Samuel Merriweather, 50, originally from the Philadelphia region, is currently serving a lengthy sentence in state prison. In May 2024, he faced charges of third-degree homicide and aggravated assault after authorities investigated a violent event inside the prison. According to police reports, prison officials called in investigators following a fight in a cell that resulted in the death of an inmate. The incident, which occurred in 2022, led to Merriweather's prosecution on multiple charges.