EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a Herald article from Nov. 17, 1987.
Darrell Daugherty was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for the New Year's Eve murder of Darrin Anderson in Grand Forks.
Daugherty pleaded guilty to the slaying, a class AA felony crime, on Nov. 3 in District Court in Grand Forks. He agreed to plead guilty to the crime if prosecutors would re-word a criminal complaint to say that the killing was unintentional.
Under the North Dakota Century Code, Class AA felony murder can be described as taking a life intentionally or by "manifesting an extreme in difference to the value of human life." The revised complaint deletes reference to intentional killing.
Daugherty maintained throughout the 10 1/2-month legal process that he did not intentionally cause Anderson's death.
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Daugherty said that until about three hours before the sentencing, he considered withdrawing his guilty plea. He said he didn't because he didn't want to put himself and Anderson's family through the emotional trauma of a trial.
Daugherty will be eligible for parole consideration in about 20 years if he receives time off for good behavior. Under state law, about one-third of prison time is taken off a sentence for good behavior.
Members of the victim's family left the courtroom weeping after sentence was pronounced. Friends of the family said the sentence was too lenient.
"It's too bad, he can get out in 30 years or 20," said Chuck Thrane, who said he is a friend of the Anderson family. "He should be in there until he dies."
Police said Anderson was bludgeoned to death with an aluminum baseball bat by Daugherty, a friend and co-worker at J.R. Simplot in Grand Forks. The two were drinking beer and playing cards with some friends at Anderson's northside apartment. Police said Anderson and Daugherty got into an argument sometime in the early morning hours of Dec. 31.
Daugherty was arrested later that day when police found him drinking on a highway overpass, threatening suicide. He then led officers to the scene.
"I was defending myself in a fight that went too far," Daugherty told District Judge Joel Medd in court today. "If defending yourself in a fight is a double-A murder, than it's a sad day in this country."
Grand Forks County State's Attorney James Odegard said Daugherty probably will be taken to the state penitentiary today.
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By state statute, Odegard said Daugherty has 10 days to file a notice of appeal if he objects to the sentence. Euren said an appeal is not likely because "once a defendant pleads guilty, it cuts off most avenues of appeal."
Copyright (c) 1987 Grand Forks Herald
