Valley Independent Sentinel

Derby Man Gets Prison For Drunken Assault

by Jodie Mozdzer | Jan 17, 2012 3:53 pm

(0) | Commenting has expired | Send link to a friend | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Derby, Police

It’s the story of what alcohol addiction can do to people.

A Derby man will spend three years in prison, after he almost killed his domestic partner in a drunken fight last summer.

Sean Rasmussen, 42, was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison. He will only serve three under a plea agreement worked out with state prosecutors.

Rasmussen faced up to 20 years for the initial charge of first-degree assault.

Pleas from the victim, Rasmussen’s partner of more than a decade, led to a much more lenient sentence, according to Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Charles Stango.

“That was the key — to balance the seriousness of the crime with the sincerity of the victim’s wishes,” Stango said.

Rasmussen hit his partner over the head with a wine bottle.

The victim suffered a fractured skull, eye socket, jaw and cheek bone as a result of the assault. The broken bottle cut the victim’s arm, severing his artery in two places. He required emergency surgery to save his life, police said.

Rasmussen didn’t speak at his sentencing at Superior Court in Milford Tuesday.

But the victim, who is not being named by the Valley Indy, gave a statement detailing the couple’s struggle with alcoholism.

“I speak today of two friends who both suffered because of our own actions in the brutal (cycle) of alcohol addiction,” the victim said.

The victim said he and Rasmussen had lived together for more than 12 years, and said Rasmussen was “the greatest gift of my life.”

But “our problem raised its head in liquor and alcoholism,” the victim said.

Since the fight, both men have stayed sober, the victim said. He asked the judge to be lenient with Rasmussen so the two can work together to recover.

“We need to work on ourselves,” the victim said. “And for that, we need each other.”

While Judge Arnold commended the victim for staying away from alcohol, he said Rasmussen has no choice while he’s in prison.

“I understand Mr. Rasmussen’s abstinence is imposed on him by incarceration,” Arnold said. “I hope he will rein in that problem. That we shall see.”

And while the victim wants Rasmussen home as soon as possible, Arnold said he has a responsibility to punish him for the horrific attack.

“If not for the victim’s feelings in this matter, this sentence would have been heavy based on the severity of the injuries,” Arnold said.

Rasmussen, as part of the plea agreement, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment.

He will face five years of probation after he is released. Rasmussen will have to undergo substance abuse and mental health evaluations, and receive treatment for domestic violence.

Arnold agreed not to issue a no-contact order, at the request of the victim.

Comments

News Feeds

Valley Independent RSS 2.0 Feed Valley Independent Atom Feed

Sponsors

Knight Foundation Valley Foundation The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Sponsors have no input into or responsibility for articles published on this site.

V.I.S. Site Design & Development

smartpill design