Clarion Man Sentenced Up to Two Years Behind Bars on Assault Charges

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published March 29, 2019 4:45 am
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Justin HarrisCLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A Clarion man was sentenced on assault charges from two separate cases this week.

(Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography)

On Wednesday, March 27, President Judge James Arner sentenced 26-year-old Justin Lamar Harris, of Clarion, to a minimum of one year less one day to a maximum of two years less two days confinement in Clarion County Jail on two second-degree misdemeanor counts of simple assault.

He was given credit for 212 days served.

Court documents indicate Harris pleaded guilty to one second-degree misdemeanor count of simple assault on February 20, in relation to an incident that occurred on September 19, 2018.

In a second assault case, related to an incident that occurred on August 22, 2018, Harris refused a plea deal offered by the District Attorney’s office and requested a trial by jury on February 20. However, according to court documents, Harris pleaded guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor count of simple assault on March 8.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Strangulation — Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
  • Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 1
  • Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

Details of the cases:

Assault of Woman

Clarion-based State Police Troopers Knight and Norris were dispatched to the residence and made contact with the female victim inside an upstairs bedroom.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim complained of back pain and discomfort in her right eye. Police observed bruising around her throat and multiple red marks on her body.

The victim told police that she got into a verbal argument with Justin Harris that quickly turned physical.

The criminal complaint states the victim told police that Harris grabbed her by the throat, pinned her to the bed, and choked her to the point that she nearly lost consciousness.

She said the altercation continued downstairs where Harris repeatedly slammed her head off of a bookshelf, according to the criminal complaint.

Harris then fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Sergeant Scott Bauer, the station commander of the State Police barracks in Clarion, told exploreClarion.com that Harris was apprehended in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, on the morning of Monday, August 27.

Assault at Clarion County Jail

According to a criminal complaint, on Wednesday, September 19, Clarion County Chief Detective William Peck IV was contacted by Deputy Warden Sprankle, of the Clarion County Jail, regarding an incident involving two inmates at the jail, Justin Harris and another known inmate.

Deputy Warden Sprankle related that Harris and the other inmate were involved in a fight and the other inmate suffered an injury that required transport to Clarion Hospital for treatment.

Chief Detective Peck went to the Clarion County Jail on Thursday, September 20, to interview the inmates.

According to the complaint, the victim reported that Harris was standing on a step as he was walking down, and he told him to “watch out” as he was walking past. The victim said that apparently upset Harris because a few minutes later, when the victim returned to his cell, Harris entered his cell and started to punch him.

The victim said that he grabbed Harris by the shirt and tried to push him away. He reported that Harris hit him numerous times and cut him near his eye, the complaint indicates.

The complaint notes that the victim received three stitches to the area around his left eye.

Chief Detective Peck then spoke to Harris.

According to the complaint, Harris stated he was sitting on the step when the victim walked past and said to him, “Get the [expletive] out of the way.” Harris also said that he heard from other inmates that the victim was talking about him when he was transferred to Venango County Jail for a time.

Harris said that he walked directly from his cell over to the victim’s cell to talk to him and was standing in the doorway of the cell when the victim grabbed him, pulled him in the cell, and started hitting him.

According to the complaint, after Chief Detective Peck confronted Harris and told him the incident was on video, showing that he walked to the victim’s cell and paced back and forth, looking to see if the guard was watching before entering, Harris said that he felt bad and did not mean to hurt the victim.

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