DAYTON — James Fickling pleaded guilty Friday to a brutal assault that left a security guard blind.
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The plea deal was reached just three days before Fickling was scheduled to go to trial for the attack on Gloria Courtney.
Fickling pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, assault, inducing panic, and obstructing official business.
The agreement allows Courtney to avoid testifying at a week-long trial and reliving the experience of the assault.
Police and prosecutors said the attack began when Fickling pulled a fire alarm.
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As Courtney responded to the alarm to usher people out of the building, Fickling jumped her and knocked her to the ground.
Courtney lost consciousness and remembers very little of the attack that left her blind.
She woke up in a hospital with a skull fracture and staples in her head.
Courtney sat in the front row of the courtroom between her two daughters during the hearing.
Although she could not see Fickling, she listened as he repeated his guilty plea 12 times.
“I just wanted to hear him say guilty and that he is guilty, he was, yes,” Courtney said. She expressed relief that the legal process would not be “drawn out” by a week-long trial.
She returned to her church a few months after the assault and said she intends to address the court at the upcoming sentencing.
“For him to hear how this has affected not only me but my family here, my family in Texas, my church family, all who are involved yes,” Courtney said.
Oletha Courtney, Courtney’s daughter, also attended the hearing and said she was satisfied to hear the defendant admit to the crimes.
“For me personally, it felt really great hearing him plead guilty to all of those charges. Yes, so that was a good thing,” Oletha said.
Attorneys for the prosecution and the defense are expected to submit written arguments to the judge containing their recommendations for the length of Fickling’s prison stay.
Legal indications suggest the sentence could range from 18 to 31.5 years behind bars.
The judge said he will sentence Fickling two weeks from today.
Courtney said she insists on speaking during the sentencing hearing.
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