HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in the case against a 34-year-old Hutchinson man arrested back on March 6 on some serious charges came back with a mixed verdict.
They got the case against Chauncey Brownfield around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday and came back with a “guilty verdict” on the charge of aggravated battery, but were “hung” on the charge of aggravated robbery.
The victim was at a local motel at 14 West 4th and says he was attacked by Brownfield and that he took an iPhone 6+ cell phone by force. Apparently, Brownfield was asked to leave the motel and wanted his money back. He became angry and struck the victim, breaking his face, according to Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell. He says he suffered a fracture of the eye socket and a permanent scar.
The defense downplayed the seriousness of the injury to the victim, telling the jury it would be similar to a broken nose or broken toe. Attorney John Henderson also argued that his client didn’t intend to take the phone, in fact repeated to police that he didn’t know he even had it. But, police used the phone’s location to track down where Brownfield was. He was found hiding in a bathroom at K-Mart.
With the jury being hung on the one charge, Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell says he hasn’t decided if he’ll prosecute him again on the aggravated robbery charge.
But, Brownfield has other serious charges facing him in Salina.
Brownfield was recently charged involving a 2014 shooting incident at a Salina apartment complex. Officers were sent to the Chapel Ridge Apartments on May 11, 2014.
When officers arrived, they found a 42-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound. The man told police that Brownfield knocked on the door of his apartment and attempted to rob him.
Brownfield did not take any of the victim’s property, but allegedly shot him in the groin area before leaving the apartment.
Brownfield was arrested on a warrant charging him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, battery, criminal threat and attempted first-degree murder.
Sentencing on the aggravated battery charge wukk be on Dec. 11, in front of Judge Tim Chambers.