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Dennis Lee Richardson Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to felony burglary and assault with a dangerous weapon. As part of a plea agreement, nine other felony charges including kidnapping and theft were dropped. Richardson was sentenced to spend five years and eight months in prison and help his co-defendants pay $2,182.49 in restitution for the victim’s medical bills.
Richardson admitted planning May 16, 2007, to enter a home in the 650 block of West Fifth Street the next day with James Andrew Lindsey, 23, and Lennie Dwayne Brooks, 22. They knew the home would be occupied, so they brought a gun to confront the homeowner, Richardson testified.
Once inside, the invaders hit the 69-year-old victim several times in the head with the gun. Several bones in his face were broken and the injuries caused his brain to bleed. The three invaders stole $4,000 in commemorative state quarters and about $800 cash before fleeing the home.
The victim now suffers temporary bouts of blindness because of the injuries he sustained, and because of a prior stroke, Victim Services Coordinator Cami O’Laughlin said, reading from a victim impact statement written by the victim’s wife. In the statement, she said her husband is no longer able to trust anyone or be alone at home. The statement said he is “so depressed” that nothing makes him happy anymore.
“Mr. Richardson, you needed to hear that,” Judge Margaret Shaw Johnson said. “That’s what you did.”
Johnson offered an apology to the victim and his family for what happened.
Richardson stumbled over his words and said he was “messed up” at the time of the incident and had a lot of problems.
“I’m sorry,” he told the court. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
Brooks was convicted of burglary and assault and placed on 20 years of probation. Lindsey was sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison on a single charge of felony burglary.
Kevin Behr may be reached at (507) 453-3524 or at kbehr@winonadailynews.com.
Rawhide wrote on Aug 28, 2008 3:03 PM: