GREENVILLE — A Union City, Ohio, man heard his sentence in Darke County Common Pleas Court Monday for a 2016 knife-throwing incident.
James Lawson, 48, was sentenced to 48 days in jail, following a plea deal with the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office.
Lawson pleaded guilty to a charge of Attempted Felonious Assault, a third-degree felony, after an August 30, 2016, incident in which he became intoxicated and threw a knife and almost struck a child. He was originally indicted on two, second-degree counts of Felonious Assault.
Lawson was represented in court by defense attorney Matt Pierron, who told Common Pleas Court Judge Jonathan Hein that he didn’t feel prison time was necessary for his client. He admitted that alcohol was a “severe issue” and recommended Lawson be admitted to an substance abuse treatment program.
R. Kelly Ormsby, Darke County Prosecuting Attorney, said that as part of the plea deal, the state would make no recommendation in sentencing.
Judge Hein sentenced Lawson to 180 days in jail, with 132 days credited for time already served, thus must serve 48 more days. As well, he was ordered to pay court costs. Hein did not sentence Lawson to supervision by the probation department, saying it would be a waste of that department’s time and resources given Lawson’s previous record and substance abuse issues.
“I’m not going to have you on supervision, have the probation department babysit you, because you’re 48. You ought to know to go get a vivitrol shot, or to go to Wellness and Recovery center…or go to AA groups, which are all over the place,” he said. “If you don’t want to be babysat, then you ought to grow up.”
Lawson was told he may pay his court costs through community service.