North Manchester Man Receives Suspended Sentence For Battery
Staff Report
WARSAW — A North Manchester man received a two-year suspended sentence after severely battering people.
Talbot Neal McKee, 24, 307 S. 1st St., North Manchester, was charged with two counts of battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, both level 6 felonies; and battery, a class B misdemeanor. Two counts of intimidation and a resisting law enforcement charge were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
McKee was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court One on Monday, Sept. 28.
On April 21, a Warsaw Police officer went to an undisclosed location in regards to a physical fight. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a man employed at the establishment. The man said a female employee went to confront a client, later identified as McKee, about him yelling. According to court documents, the man heard a commotion and saw McKee holding the woman by the throat and hitting her in the face.
The man began attempting to restrain McKee by performing a hold. McKee then repeatedly hit and kicked the man. When the man tried a second restraining attempt, McKee head-butted the man multiple times, causing the man’s nose to bleed.
In a third restraining attempt, McKee threatened to give the man a concussion and kill him. While clients were moved to another location to be kept safe, McKee grabbed an unnamed person by the arm. The man stepped in again to restrain McKee, who hit the man and threatened to kill him.
The officer spoke with the female employee, who confirmed the man’s story. The officer also noticed red marks on the woman’s neck.
During court proceedings, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz noted that McKee has severe anger issues that must be addressed.
Defense Attorney Elden Stoops presented a care plan created by McKee’s mother that would give McKee 24/7 attention while helping him focus on anger management and behavioral assistance. The court approved the proposed plan.
All three of McKee’s charges will be served concurrently through a two-year suspended sentence. As a requirement of McKee’s sentence, he must follow the care plan. McKee also has 161 days of jail time credit in this case.