07/05/2008

Associated Press

A 36-year-old Aberdeen man has been sentenced to 30 days for cutting his ex-girlfriend's hair with a knife.

James J. Jenkins was found guilty of misdemeanor assault. But he avoided a felony third-strike conviction that would have put him in prison for life without the chance of parole.

Jenkins has two previous convictions for second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Both cases, in 1999 and 1993, involved a knife.

Grays Harbor Superior Court Judge Gordon Godfrey found Jenkins not guilty of second-degree assault on June 26, but said Jenkins still committed fourth-degree assault of unwanted touching when he cut a lock of victim Stacey Harrison's hair on Dec. 13 as a keepsake.

Godfrey said he felt the act did not rise to the level of a felony and he should not put Jenkins away for life.

Jenkins had been in custody since of the day of the haircutting incident so the judge released him after handing down his verdict. Jenkins will serve no additional time.

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Information from: The Daily World, http://www.thedailyworld.com