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Man gets prison for domestic violence

Dickerson

ESCANABA — Following a lengthy court hearing that required the judge to review previous testimony, a Gladstone man was sentenced to prison on a third-offense domestic violence charge earlier this week.

At his scheduled sentencing hearing on Monday, Jeffery William Dickerson, 36, requested a new attorney whom he had already made contact with to replace his court-appointed attorney, Jayne Mackowiak, who he claimed told him he would be sentenced to jail, not prison.

After reviewing the law and listening to Dickerson’s plea hearing testimony from Aug. 29, Judge John Economopoulos denied his request, noting the court had not received a court order for a substitute attorney and the defendant had previously testified he entered a guilty plea to the five-year felony without any promises from anyone.

Economopoulos also denied a request from Dickerson to withdraw his plea, basing the court’s decision on the law, which requires a fair and just reason for a plea withdrawal. No reason was given in the interest of justice, ruled the judge.

Following a statement from the victim who told the judge that Dickerson didn’t do anything to her and he shouldn’t be in court, Dickerson told the court he has been working on his anger and parenting skills for the past four years.

Economopoulos commended the defendant for being very civil during the court proceeding, but reminded him of the fact the court dismissed, at the request of the prosecution, a 10-year felony of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder by strangulation and also dismissed a fourth offense habitual offense notice.

The judge also read statements the victim made to police regarding Dickerson had told her he was going to “make her bloody” and “shove her into the washing machine.”

The police report also stated the victim told someone to call the police as she struggled with the defendant, she was upset and ­hyperventilating while speaking to police, and officers observed red marks on her neck. Witnesses also told police Dickerson had his arms around the victim’s neck in a choke hold and was tossing her like “a rag doll,” the judge noted.

Economopoulos also stated Dickerson’s past convictions which included domestic violence incidents, assault and battery incidents, attempted breaking and entering, attempted assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, and larceny from a person.

Economopoulos sentenced Dickerson to two to five years in prison, giving him credit for 105 days served in jail. He was ordered to pay $198 in fines and costs.

Escanaba Public Safety arrested Dickerson this summer after investigating a July 4 incident at a local residence. He was charged as a fourth-offense habitual offender with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder by strangulation and charged with domestic violence, third offense. He was lodged in jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

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Jenny Lancour, (906) 786-2021, ext. 143, jlancour@dailypress.net

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