Submitted by the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department
An inmate at the Rensselaer County Jail has been charged with attempted murder of a correctional officer after an unprovoked incident at the jail on the evening of January 4th.
Matthew W. Fluty, formerly of Brookview Ave in Troy, is alleged to have maliciously attacked an unsuspecting officer, taking his two-way radio, preventing the officer from calling for help. The unidentified officer who was performing his lawful duties at the time of the incident was beaten, overpowered, and strangled into unconsciousness. Fluty left the officer helpless on the upper-level floor of the housing unit containing more than 30 other inmates. Fortunately, the officer’s radio had alerted the facility’s Control Room and help responded almost immediately. Fluty has been charged with:
– Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree (A Felony)
– Assault in the 1st Degree (B Felony)
– Robbery in the 1st Degree (B Felony)
– Assault on a Peace Officer (C Felony)
– Strangulation in the 1st Degree (C Felony)
Before this incident, Fluty was being held at RCJ on multiple felony charges and is also pending trial for a May 2021 incident for the crime of “Aggravated Harassment of a Peace Officer” where Fluty is accused of throwing five-day-old urine on a correctional officer. Separate from the above charges, inmate Fluty is also being held on the following unrelated charges out of Rensselaer County: Assault 3rd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing-Apply Pressure, Menacing 2nd with a Weapon, and Criminal Trespass 2nd. Inmate Fluty is also facing pending charges of Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd degree out of Saratoga Springs and Aggravated Harassment 2nd out of Albany City Court.
The officer was brought to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries, has since been released, and is currently recovering at home.