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Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 5 years for slamming pregnant girlfriend into wall
Trish Mehaffey
Jan. 23, 2020 12:21 pm, Updated: Jan. 23, 2020 3:56 pm
CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man who slammed his pregnant girlfriend into a wall and threatened to kill her was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison.
Randelle Denver Brown, 29, was convicted by a Linn County jury Oct. 2 of domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, abuse assault causing bodily injury, first-degree harassment and obstruction of emergency communications.
Brown faced up to 12 years, but 6th Judicial District Judge Ian Thornhill ran the sentences concurrently for a total of five years in prison. Brown must serve a mandatory one year before being eligible for parole.
Evidence at trial showed Brown grabbed his former girlfriend, who was 25 weeks pregnant with their child, by the neck and slammed her against a wall, causing her to fall on her abdomen Jan. 22, 2018.
During the assault, Brown slapped the woman's face, causing her ear to bleed, according to testimony. He told her if she tried to leave him, he would 'bust” up her face more, and if she told police he would kill her.
Brown also tried to take away the woman's cellphone and Apple watch to prevent her from calling police that day, according to court documents.
Police testified about statements the woman made. During trial, she said the statements weren't true. She was having an 'anxiety attack” and wanted to go to the hospital but didn't think emergency responders would take her just for that reason, she said.
Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter said the woman, in the 911 call, said she was trying to escape from Brown because he was hitting her and he tried to take her phone away.
The woman also said Brown threatened to kill her other children and, if he was in jail, he would have someone else 'shoot up” her mobile home.
Slaughter filed penalty enhancements on the assault charges, and a judge ordered those after reviewing evidence that Brown previously was convicted of two domestic assaults in Henry and Linn counties.
Brown, pending trial, also violated a no-contact order for the woman in this case and was sentenced to serve seven days in jail last November.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com