LIMA – Deamonte Godsey, 23, of Columbus, was sentenced Monday morning to eight years in prison for breaking the arm of his girlfriend during a domestic dispute earlier this year.
The victim in the case told Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Reed that the defendant’s past pattern of behavior has been to “say that everything’s just a big misunderstanding … but it’s clearly not. This is a pattern and it’s only getting worse.”
Godsey was indicted by an Allen County grand jury in August on charges of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and domestic violence, a misdemeanor of the first degree. In October he pleaded guilty to amended charges stemming from an altercation on July 9 during which prosecutors alleged Godsey “did cause serious physical harm” to Emily Lawrence by breaking her arm during an argument.
According to court records, Godsey, the father of Lawrence’s two children, was visiting from Columbus at Lawrence’s residence in Lima when the pair began to argue. Authorities report Lawrence said she asked Godsey to leave but instead he grabbed her and closed a door on her arm several times, resulting in a broken arm for Lawrence.
During sentencing Monday in Allen County Common Pleas Court, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tony Miller told Judge Jeffrey Reed that based on the injuries suffered by the victim and the defendant’s lengthy criminal history, that the state recommended the maximum sentence of eight years in prison.
Lawrence addressed the court, and the defendant, prior to sentencing. “We’ve been dealing with this for a long time, and I’m just tired of it,” the woman said. “I had to have surgery and I have screws in my arm. I had to drop out of school and I had to do physical therapy. But he [Godsey] doesn’t think about that.”
Given the opportunity to speak, a tearful Godsey apologized to Lawrence.
“I know I did wrong. I didn’t mean to break your arm; I let my anger get the best of me. I’m sorry,” said Godsey. “If I could take it back, I would.”
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