HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 31-year-old man accused of beating and kidnapping another man was in court for a preliminary hearing, but ended up entering pleas in this case plus another one he has been awaiting trial on.
James Dean was facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm in the most recent case, but entered pleas to two counts of aggravated battery and interference with a law enforcement officer.
In the most recent case he admitted that he beat 50-year-old David Crossman after entering his home uninvited, forcing him from the home and then beating him with a baseball bat. This occurring back on February 28.
In the other case against Dean, he admitted stabbing Jeffrey Kinney and running over him with his own truck. That allegedly occurring in the early morning hours of August 4, 2013. Kinney had gone to a neighbors home that night to return a dog and then asked if he could go four wheeling in the homeowners back field. Dean decided he wanted to go along. It was during the drive to the field that Dean allegedly stabbed Kinney three times, on his hand, in his stomach area and also on the left side of his chest. He says Dean then pushed him from his own truck, with the truck then running over him.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell combined the two cases into one dropping most of the charges in each case, then Dean entered “guilty” pleas to the three charges.
The third charge is for lying to a sheriff detective claiming that Crossman said he would kill his girlfriend and that he had been involved with a murder 20-years ago. That apparently is not true.
With the three pleas, Judge Joe McCarville set a sentencing date of August 22. Both sides are expected to recommend a downward departure sentence to eight years in prison.