Sheriff to Review Jail Procedures After Inmate Killed

By Local Editor William Mansell

An inmate inside the Pinellas County Jail was found strangled to death July 21 with wet toilet paper down his throat. 

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, 48-year-old Kelly Harding was killed by his cellmate, 28-year-old Scott Greenberg.

Now, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is launching a review of jail booking and classification procedures in light of the alleged murder. 

"The review will result in recommendations on necessary revisions to ensure proper procedures are in place so that all misdemeanor inmates, including those who initially booked into the jail as felons, are appropriately housed within the Pinellas County Jail," Gualtieri said in a news release. "We want to make sure that this misclassification of inmates does not happen again."

According to Gualtieri, the review will determine how and why Harding was not reclassified from a pre-trial felony detainee to a sentenced misdemeanant upon his change of plea in January 2013. 

The review will determine whether the issue is solely a "process" issue or whether staff accountability is also appropriate, a news release said.

Greenberg, according to the sheriff's office, made statements that he had killed Harding because he wanted to go to death row. Greenberg was already in jail on murder charges. 

He is also accused of strangling his girlfriend in a similar fashion to Harding, authorities said. 

A preliminary review of jail records revealed that Harding was a sentenced misdemeanant and should not have been housed with Greenberg, investigators said.

When the internal review is complete, Gualtieri will announce the findings
and issue a report. 

The report is expected to be complete in 60 days. 

Harding is charged with first degree murder.