SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an inmate of the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for murdering an inmate at the facility and attempting to murder another inmate.

Ulysses Jones, Jr., 56, who is serving a life sentence for murder, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012.

The government filed a motion today of intention to seek the death penalty, arguing that Jones’s actions “constituted a reckless disregard for human life” and involved “substantial planning and premeditation.” Also among the aggravating factors that serve as the basis for imposition of the death penalty, according to the government’s motion, was the fact that the murder victim “was particularly vulnerable due to infirmity.”

The federal indictment charges Jones with one count of murder and one count of murder by a federal prisoner serving a life term. The indictment alleges that Jones killed another inmate, Timothy Baker, on Jan. 9, 2006. Jones allegedly stabbed Baker while he was asleep after taking sleeping medication.

The indictment also charges Jones with one count of assault. Jones allegedly attempted to kill another inmate, identified as “R.R.,” during the same incident as the murder. The indictment alleges that Jones stabbed R.R. multiple times with a sharpened piece of metal (also called a shank).

Ketchmark cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Milligan. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons.

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