including a man serving a 23-year sentence on six robbery counts -- were charged yesterday with trying to escape from their jail cell at the Circuit Courthouse in Annapolis.

Sheriff's deputies recapturedall four men before they could break out of the holding area in the basement at about 12:35 p.m. Five deputies suffered minor injuries during a violent struggle with the prisoners, police said.

The sheriff's office said the inmates were placed in a cell in the security area, but had to be moved because a toilet was broken. After they were moved, the men broke free from their leg irons, forced acell door open and tried to run behind a deputy sitting nearby.

At the same time, Deputy Kathy Corbin opened the outer security door, walked in and was pushed to the floor by the inmates, police said. But by that time, Deputy Thomas Kohlmann had closed the outer door.

Police said he and five other deputies subdued the inmates "after a brief but violent struggle."

Deputies Kohlmann, Edward Wholey, Richard Nock, Paul Coleman and Sgt. Edward Niedzielski were treated and released from Anne Arundel County Medical Center.

The inmates, Terry Love, 21, of Pasadena and Baltimore residents Thomas Wallace, 25, Nicholas Fletcher, 39 and Curtis Wright, 25, were charged with escape and assault and battery.

The sheriff's office said there appears to be no violation of security procedures, but an investigation of howthe inmates freed themselves is under way.