 LIMA — The smile Markelus Carter had each day when he walked into the courtroom may have been knocked off his face by another inmate about to testify against him when the two were accidently placed in a holding cell together. Video of a fight that broke out in a holding cell at the Allen County Justice Center between a murder suspect and a witness in the case is shown during the trial of Markelus Carter. “An altercation broke out between the two and within minutes we were able to go in and break up the two.” 
 
 Carter is charged with aggravated murder with a firearm and having a gun under a court sanction. He is charged in the Feb. 23, 2009, shooting death of Kenneth Warrington outside a home at 436 E. McKibben St. Crish did not name the inmate but just before that a sergeant from the prison testified an inmate Steven Upham, serving time for attempted murder, came to him with information about Carter’s case. During the afternoon break on Wednesday, Carter was mistakenly placed in a holding cell with Steven Upham. Judge Jeffrey Reed told attorneys for both sides to return to court a half-hour before the jury Thursday to discuss the matter. The day began with drama, as well, when the judge refused to grant a mistrial after Carter’s attorney, Jon Rion, accused the prosecution of surprising him with evidence in direct violation of evidence-sharing rules.
– A pretty big oops in Lima, Ohio, this week: Markelus Carter is charged with murder, and during a break in his trial Wednesday, a guard accidentally put him in the same holding cell with another inmate who was set to testify against him. Neither man was handcuffed, and a fight broke out, but "within minutes we were able to go in and break up the two," the local sheriff says, adding that there will be an investigation into the misstep. Carter walked back into the courtroom "visibly shaken" and with red marks on his face, the Lima News reports; the sheriff described the injuries to both men as "minor." The judge wouldn't grant a mistrial, but allowed the jury to watch video of the fight, Your News Now reports; the witness testified the next day.