HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 45-year-old inmate serving time for some serious convictions and charged in Reno County with two counts of battery of a corrections officer was granted a new attorney during a hearing Wednesday.

The crimes by Richard Powell are alleged to have occurred at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility back on Sept. 11, 2015, the same day that a fire was reported in Central Unit, C-cell house. However, the two incidents are not connected. Powell allegedly battered two prison officers on that date.

Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen granted his request, meaning Wichita attorney Steve Osburn is no longer on the case and local attorney Shannon Crane is now assigned.

Powell is serving time for intentional premeditated murder, criminal possession of a firearm, traffic in contraband, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. All of these crimes occurred in Wyandotte County in 1992 and 1998.