Chapter 16 - Walter’s Charges
The prosecutor charged Walter with:
Assault and battery with a dangerous instrument related to Lily.
Child endangerment.
A separate assault/endangerment count connected to Mason after investigation.
Defense argued:
Tongs were ordinary household tool.
Contact brief.
No intent to cause serious injury.
No severe bodily harm.
Walter had sixty years with no criminal record.
Strong mitigation.
Prosecution argued:
He intentionally applied heated metal as discipline to two children.
Repeated conduct after prior injury.
Strong aggravation.
The case did not resolve quickly.
Eleven months.
No trial ultimately.
Plea agreement.
Walter pleaded guilty to one felony child-endangerment count and one misdemeanor assault-and-battery count, with the second incident incorporated into sentencing facts and another charge dismissed under agreement.
Sentence:
Nine months in county correctional custody, with eligibility for release under ordinary rules.
Three years probation after.
No unsupervised contact with minors during probation.
Anger-management/parenting intervention.
No contact with Lily or Mason unless separately approved by parents and professionals.
Restitution for uncovered medical/counseling costs.
No firearms issue relevant.
He lost his volunteer coaching role at a youth athletic nonprofit.
Appropriate.
Not forty years prison.
Not slap on wrist.
At sentencing Walter said:
“I was trying to teach children to obey around a grill.”
The judge answered:
“You were not entitled to use a burn as the lesson.”
Then Walter said something better.
“I understand that now.”
Did he?
Maybe partly.
Court cannot verify soul.
May you like
Only compliance and conduct.
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