Man pleads not guilty, charges upgraded in Indiana hospital ER shooting

The man accused of shooting and critically wounding a La Porte County sheriff's deputy in an Indiana emergency room last week faced a judge on Friday. 

Sharod Grafton, 22,  appeared in court virtually as he pled not guilty to charges including attempted murder, battery against a public safety official, and auto theft. On Friday, prosecutors added a firearm enhancement to all of those counts, which will increase Grafton's sentence if convicted.

Grafton is being held on a $ 100,000 cash bond. He asked for a reduction, and the judge said she would look into it. 

The hearing was scheduled for Thursday, but the judge initially assigned to the case recused herself.

On the morning of May 22, Indiana State Police said Deputy Jon Samuelson stopped to assist a disabled vehicle on State Road 2, and the driver, identified as Grafton, asked Samuelson to take him to Franciscan Health Michigan City.

Samuelson was notified that the man was a suspect in previous criminal activity overnight. Samuelson then returned to the hospital to speak to the driver in the emergency room, at which time there was a physical altercation, and the driver pulled out a gun and shot Samuelson three times, police said.

Court documents released this week reveal Deputy Samuelson is paralyzed from the chest down. He's still hospitalized in critical condition.

A new photo posted on the nonprofit "Caring Bridge" shows Samuelson reunited with his K-9 partner, Bosco, on Tuesday.