A Bethlehem Township, Pa., man is expected to plead guilty to simple assault for allegedly beating a man with a wrench last year after services at a Sikh temple.
Satinder Singh appeared briefly this afternoon before District Judge Capobianco where Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen revealed the plea agreement.
Mulqueen said the victim, Devinder Singh of Upper Macungie Township, agreed to the negotiated plea.
Satinder Singh was charged in September for the March 1, 2009, incident. He was allegedly one of as many as nine attackers who beat Devinder Singh, records said. The argument was over a disagreement between Devinder Singh and one of the attacker's attempt to bring a relative to the country illegally, the victim's wife has said.
The assault happened at a railroad crossing at Route 946 in Upper Nazareth Township, records say. Devinder Singh suffered a fractured skull, records say.
In exchange for his plea, Mulqueen said she will withdraw the remaining charges. Singh was initially charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of instruments of crime and criminal conspiracy.
Satinder Singh waived the charges against him to Northampton County Court during the hearing before Capobianco and is expected to make a guilty plea at his formal arraignment in November.
Singh's lawyer, Gary Asteak, said the plea deal "was a very fair outcome." Asteak said the situation should have never escalated and Singh never meant to cause any harm. Asteak did not wish to comment further.
Mulqueen said she had no comments following the hearing.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2010/10/bethlehem_township_man_to_plea.html
Satinder Singh appeared briefly this afternoon before District Judge Capobianco where Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen revealed the plea agreement.
Mulqueen said the victim, Devinder Singh of Upper Macungie Township, agreed to the negotiated plea.
Satinder Singh was charged in September for the March 1, 2009, incident. He was allegedly one of as many as nine attackers who beat Devinder Singh, records said. The argument was over a disagreement between Devinder Singh and one of the attacker's attempt to bring a relative to the country illegally, the victim's wife has said.
The assault happened at a railroad crossing at Route 946 in Upper Nazareth Township, records say. Devinder Singh suffered a fractured skull, records say.
In exchange for his plea, Mulqueen said she will withdraw the remaining charges. Singh was initially charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of instruments of crime and criminal conspiracy.
Satinder Singh waived the charges against him to Northampton County Court during the hearing before Capobianco and is expected to make a guilty plea at his formal arraignment in November.
Singh's lawyer, Gary Asteak, said the plea deal "was a very fair outcome." Asteak said the situation should have never escalated and Singh never meant to cause any harm. Asteak did not wish to comment further.
Mulqueen said she had no comments following the hearing.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2010/10/bethlehem_township_man_to_plea.html
