PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Jeremy Christian, the man accused of murdering two people in a racially charged attack on the MAX in 2017, is also charged with assaulting a black inmate in jail.

Christian appeared in court Thursday morning.

The new charges stem from a July 29 incident at the Multnomah County Jail. Christian made his first court appearance the next day on July 30. He was charged with one count of 4th-degree assault for “lawfully and intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause physical injury to Aundre Dupree Mills.” 

Christian’s trial for the May 2017 attack will start in June 2019. Christian has pleaded not guilty for both the alleged MAX attack and alleged jail assault.

Administrative segregation

Jeremy Christian is in what’s called the Administrative Segregation section of the Multnomah County Jail, otherwise known as solitary confinement.

So is Mills.

In that part of the jail, only 2 inmates at a time can be out of their cells for 45 minutes, twice a day. It was during one of those times when Christian allegedly hit Mills.

KOIN 6 News was told the guard did not see it happen, but discovered Mills had closed the door to his cell, leaving Christian locked inside Mills’ cell.

Jeremy Christian, the accused MAX attack killer, in court to face charges on an alleged jail assault, September 13, 2018 (KOIN)

Asked why the men were housed in the same area, Sgt. Brandon White with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said, “We don’t separate people based on race, color, religion, even gang affiliation.”

Law enforcement sources told KOIN 6 News jail reports indicated neither man had any physical signs of a fights after the alleged incident. There is also no record of any racial incident.

But Mills filed a criminal 4th-degree assault charge against Christian.

Since the alleged incident, the two men have been kept apart at all times at the Multnomah County Jail, where all inmates are housed individually in their cells.