HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Another of the suspects in the beating and stabbing of a Hutchinson man is off to prison after he entered “guilty” pleas to charges including attempted 2nd degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, aggravated burglary and aggravated assault. Joseph LeShore was then sentenced to a total of 99-months in prison, or 8-years, 3-months.
He was scheduled to go to trial in the next few weeks and Judge Chambers had set a special hearing to consider a defense request for transcripts of the trials of the co-defendants, but LeShore enter the pleas instead.
You may recall us telling you that he had been awaiting sentencing after he entered a plea to an amended charge of attempted 2nd degree murder, as well as the other counts. He at that time admitted in court his involvement in the beating and stabbing of Jeffrey Payne. He then requested that the court allow him to withdraw the plea. He was then charged with attempted 1st degree murder and was facing trial on all the original charges.
The state apparently decided to let him enter a plea to the lesser attempted murder charge once again and he was then sentenced. They could do that quickly because they had a pre-sentence report completed back when he entered a plea the first time, so there was no need to have another one done.
LeShore was accused by his co-defendants of being the key player for the attack on Payne back on February 18, 2013, when these men allegedly broke into his home and physically attacked and stabbed him numerous times in the leg and torso.
The only one left to face trial is Sean Arevalo-Mendoza who is believed to have had a minimal role in this case. He was present at the time of the crimes, but wasn’t directly involved in the attack.
Another co-defendant, John Cantu awaits sentencing after he also entered pleas in the case. He entered a plea to conspiracy to commit aggravated battery in front of Judge Tim Chambers, meaning he avoids the more serious charges including attempted 1st degree murder. His sentencing is set for June 27.