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| Sheley Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Jailhouse Assault |
UPDATED 11:43am 10/30/09 Accused spree killer Nicholas Sheley won't be going to prison for as long as prosecutors wanted for assaulting employees of the Knox County Jail earlier this year.
Knox County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Mathers Friday sentenced 30-year old Nicholas Sheley to a total of seven-years in prison, after being convicted in September on charges including Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, and Criminal Damage to Government-Supported Property.
Sheley allegedly tore apart a chair and threw it at jailers entering his cell April 17th. He also allegedly punched at least one of them.
During Friday's sentencing hearing, Knox County Assistant State's Attorney Matthew Kwacala called Sheley a "very violent man" and his criminal history since 1997 proves that.
He said Sheley's lack of respect for authority led to a "cold, calculated, and planned act" and deserved as much as 14 years in prison.
Meantime, Public Defender Jim Harrell asked for leniency, in part, because of the hardship that would be caused on Sheley's children, and because he apologized to Jail Sergeant Scott Cordle after the attack, and pleaded for the minimum three years.
Judge Stephen Mathers said he agreed that Sheley laid "in ambush" when the attack happened.
A motion for a new trial filed by Harrell had been denied earlier in the hearing.
Sheley will be back in court next Friday for a change of venue hearing in the murder case pending against him in Knox County for the death of 65-year old Ronald Randall.
It's expected then Sheley's earlier contention he be allowed to plead guilty will also be taken up.
(Nicholas Sheley is led out of the Knox County Jail after being convicted of assaulting jail employees last month. WGIL News Story by Will Stevenson. File Photo by Dominic Fortini.) |
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| 10 30 09 by Newsroom |
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