Bradley Schwartz, who was convicted of conspiracy in the slaying of his former medical associate, broke a fellow inmate's arm in a jail fight, an official said Friday.
Schwartz, a former eye surgeon who was convicted in May, was reading in his Pima County jail cell about 1:30 a.m. Monday when another inmate flicked some lemonade at him, said Deputy Dawn Barkman, a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman.
The lemonade hit Schwartz, who then began arguing with the inmate in their eight-man cell, Barkman said.
The inmate then threw the entire cup of lemonade at Schwartz, she said.
Schwartz then punched the man and threw a chair at him, Barkman said.
The fight was quickly broken up by other inmates, and no corrections officers witnessed it, Barkman said.
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Authorities learned of the fight Friday when the inmate complained of arm painand asked to file a report, she said.
The man suffered a broken arm, but Barkman didn't know how serious it was.
A detective is investigating the complaint and will bring it to the Pima County Attorney's Office for review.
The other inmate's name was not released.
Schwartz has been in the jail while his attorney asks the Arizona Court of Appeals to overturn Pima County Superior Court Judge Nanette Warner's decision to dismiss first-degree murder charges against him.
Schwartz, whose medical license was revoked last month, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the October 2004 slaying of Dr. David Brian Stidham, a Tucson eye surgeon.
Brick Storts, Schwartz's attorney, said he met with his client Thursday and that Schwartz never mentioned a fight.
A malpractice suit against Schwartz was settled out of court last week for an undisclosed amount. Three other malpractice suits are pending.
Prosecutors contend that Schwartz gave Ronald Bruce Bigger $10,000 to kill Stidham when Schwartz's career fell apart after his indictment on federal drug fraud charges.
Schwartz was sentenced to life in prison. He will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
Opening arguments in Bigger's trial are set to begin in September.
