BRENHAM MAN FOUND GUILTY ON MULTIPLE ASSAULT CHARGES

  

A Brenham man has been found guilty on multiple assault charges.

Antonio Dorsey, 26, was convicted by a jury late Friday night of Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury, Aggravated Assault With a Deadly Weapon, and Assault by Strangulation, all committed against a family or household member.

Dorsey was arrested on July 15, 2015 after an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim was taken to the emergency room a week prior with severe injuries of varying ages.  She was transported immediately to Scott & White in Temple for treatment due to the extreme nature of her injuries.  Her neck, arm, hand, and several ribs were broken, along with more than 6 fractures to assorted facial bones; and she had a severe infection in one leg due to an untreated injury.   Dorsey, her significant other, was named immediately as the one who caused all the injuries.

Assault becomes aggravated through either the injuries being considered “serious bodily injury,” or by the use of a deadly weapon, and Dorsey was convicted on one count of each charge, second degree felonies.  However, when the charge is for both serious bodily injury and use of a deadly weapon against a family member the offense becomes a first degree felony.  Additionally, he was charged with Assault by Impeding Breath or Circulation, commonly referred to as strangulation, a third degree felony.

First degree felonies are punishable by 5-99 years, or life; second degree by 2-20 years; and third degree by 2-10 years.  Each may also be punished by a fine of up to $10,000.  Due to the findings of a deadly weapon, Dorsey will likely not be eligible for parole until he has served half of whatever sentence he receives.

Judge Reva Towslee Corbett presided over the trial in the District Court.  Assistant District Attorneys Lauren Haevischer and Adam Muery represented the State at trial, and Keith Harris, of Houston, represented the Defendant.

During closing arguments, Muery pointed at Dorsey’s lack of remorse in an interview where he admitted causing some of the more minor injuries saying, “But she never cried.”  He went on asking the jury to convict Dorsey in order to prevent further violence, “Find him guilty to protect this victim and his children because we know they can’t protect themselves.”

After the trial, Haevischer spoke about the difficulty of trying such cases, “Domestic violence cases are almost exclusively ‘he-said-she-said’ cases, without much physical evidence or eye-witness testimony.  In this case, the injuries spoke volumes more than any other witness.”  She continued, “This victim is surviving horrific abuse any way that she can.  We can only hope that this jury verdict gives her some sense of affirmation and vindication.”

Punishment will be set by the Court.