Man facing felony battery charges
A Greencastle man was formally charged with felony battery in Putnam County Circuit Court Monday.
Jeremy L. Musall, 24, is charged with Class C felony battery in connection with a June 5 incident in which John Sanders, 26, of Greencastle was so severely beaten he was hospitalized for several days.
Musall pleaded not guilty to the charges. He requested a public defender, and James Recker was assigned to the case.
Musall was ordered held without bond in the Putnam County Jail, where he was been since June 5. His pretrial conference has not been set.
A Class C felony is punishable by up to eight years in prison.
A probable cause affidavit prepared by Sgt. Charles Inman said he responded to call at 2:32 a.m. on June 5 about a male subject at McClure Oil Corp. "who has apparently been involved in an altercation and was requiring emergency medical assistance."
The subject, who identified himself to Inman as John Sanders, had an extremely swollen face and was covered in blood, the affidavit said.
"Mr. Sanders was quite difficult to understand, as his mouth was beginning to swell shut," the affidavit said.
Sanders identified Musall as his attacker, and said he had been beaten just outside Old Topper's Tavern in Greencastle.
"Sanders advised he had earlier been into an altercation with an unidentified mutual friend of the pair, and believed the attack may have been in retribution," the affidavit said.
Sanders was taken to Putnam County Hospital via ambulance, and was later transferred to Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. Doctors said "Sanders had suffered what appeared to be a brain bleed" and had "extensive cuts and bruising which would likely require reconstructive plastic surgery."
Musall was located and taken into custody at a Greencastle residence. Witnesses said Musall "struck Sanders with an overhead elbow," and "continued striking Sanders with closed fists until Sanders collapsed on the pavement," then "struck Sanders a couple more times before fleeing the scene."
Musall has a history of violent offenses in Putnam County.
He was sentenced to jail time on Dec. 6, 2007 for a Class A misdemeanor count of battery, and was still on probation when he was arrested June 5. His probation has been revoked.
On May 7, 2007, Musall received a suspended one-year sentence for a charge of Class A misdemeanor domestic battery. He was placed on probation on Oct. 31, 2006 when he was convicted of Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. On June 21, 2006 Musall was convicted of Class B misdemeanor battery and received a suspended 180-day sentence. In February 2006, he was convicted of Class B misdemeanor battery.
Musall also has open charges of Class A misdemeanor domestic battery and battery resulting in bodily injury, both filed Nov. 14, 2007, pending against him.