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Lopez gets prison time for assaulting a homeless man By DANI DODGE Mail Tribune An 18-year-old White City man was sentenced to prison Monday for nearly killing a homeless man by beating, kicking and smashing him with a metal bucket. James L. Lopez, of 7750 Division St. No. 30, White City, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault on Monday. Judge Ray White sentenced him to 14 months in prison. Lopez had been charged with the more serious charge of second-degree assault and White told Lopez he narrowly avoided a much stiffer sentence with his plea. "You can't afford not to change your ways unless you want to spend a lot of time in prison," White told the teen. This was Lopez's second conviction for third-degree assault. Police discovered the assault after receiving an anonymous call Aug. 4. About 1 a.m. that morning, a Jackson County sheriff's deputy went to an area frequented by homeless people, referred to as "tube city," near Avenue A and Agate Road in White City. There the deputy found the 42-year-old victim with a broken jaw and numerous other injuries. The man said he'd been attacked by several people. "He said he didn't know why they assaulted him, but he didn't want to press charges," said deputy district attorney Tim Barnack. "They just beat him up. They didn't even take his money." After the man was taken to a hospital, a doctor told deputies that the assault was nearly fatal. His broken jaw required surgery to repair. Deputies said that two other men involved in the attack led them to Lopez. "Lopez confessed to hitting, kicking, and smashing the victim with the bucket," a deputy wrote in his report. "Lopez claimed (the victim) and several other transients attacked him." But Monday at his sentencing, Lopez declined comment. Lopez's attorney Lisa Greif said Lopez is an intelligent man who can turn his life around. "If he can get some direction in his life there can be hope for him," Greif said. "It's my hope that he goes up and does his time and then comes back and .... starts fresh." "Maybe he can turn it around and we won't be seeing him again." One defendant in the case had charges against him dropped while a third, Gary L. Cottrell, 50, of White City awaits trial. Barnack said he couldn't find a motive for the crime in his reports. "Apparently they beat up this transient for no particular reason, but I'm sure alcohol was involved," Barnack said. "He was hurt pretty bad." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.