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Pitchford pleads guilty to batteryBy Connie HarrisThe second of t wo men originally charged with first degree murder in the June 10 stubbing death of 14-year-old David Fnu-eett, of Hutchinson, pleaded guilty in Reno County district court. Wednesday to a newcharge of aggravated battery.Ronald «J. Pitchford, 24, formerly of 108 South Elm, was sentenced to a prison sentence of five to 20 years, which Judge James Rexroad ordered to run consecutively with an earlier sentence Pitchford received for a firearms violation.Pitchford was on parole from the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory at the time young Faucett was killed near an abandoned barn just north of 56th Street, halfway between Plum and Monroe.Wey sentencedIn mid-August, Charles Wey, 22, formerly of 17 North Poplar, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second degree murder in the stabbing death and was given a sentence of 30 years to life.County Attorney Porter Brown dismissed companion charges of kidnaping and sodomy against Wey. He dismissed the first degree murder charge, kidnaping and rape charges against Pitchford Wednesday.Brown said he felt aggravated battery was the strongest conviction he could obtain against Pitchford.Only weak evidence against Pitchford was unveiled at theSaturday final enrollment dayThe final enrollment deadline for the 1973 fall semester at Hutchinson Community College has been extended until noon, Saturday.defendant's preliminary hearing in July.Also the chief prosecution witnesses, the victim's brother, Steven Faucett, and Steven’s fiancee, Becky Miller, reportedly have left town and their appearance for a district court trial could not be guaranteed.Brown said he did not discuss his plans in the Pitchford case with the victim’s mother, Mrs. Freddie Faucett, 4021 v East 1st, as he did earlier in the Wey case.In the appearance before Rexroad, both Brown and Lane Cronhardt, Pitchford’s court-appointed attorney, indicated the case had involved considerable plea bargaining.Brown recommended a term of five to 20 years, which represents the toughest possible minimum sentence for aggravated battery.Credit approvedHowever, he agreed not to impose the habitual criminal act against. Pitchford, and he recommended giving the defendant routine credit for his jail time since June 16. Rexroad approved the jail time credit.It is believed Pitchford will be eligible for parole in about 31 :i years.In support of a sentence more lenient than a five-year minimum, Cronhardt acknowledged that the Faucett boy’s death was a “terrible tragedy,’’But he told Rexroad that there is evidence that Pitchford “did in fact try to prevent the crime of murder from being committed.” ,Cronhardt said there also is evidence that Pitchford was a “victim of circumstances.” However, Pitchford was a participant to some degree and did flee the scene of the crime, he said.The battery charge to which Pitchford pleaded guilty alleged that he assaulted Steven Faucett, 18, with a deadly weapon.
Newspaper Details
Hutchinson News
Hutchinson, Kansas, US
Thu, Sep 13, 1973
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Hutchinson P.
KS, USA 12 Jun 2024
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