Hunter Gene Beaudett 21, of Pendleton, pleaded guilty in Wallowa County Circuit Court to a count of felony strangulation and two misdemeanor counts of menacing from domestic violence.

The charges stemmed from incidents Feb. 25-26. Judge Thomas B. Powers presided while Wallowa County District Attorney Rebecca Frolander appeared for the state and La Grande attorney Rick Dall appeared for the defense.

Frolander said that when police arrived at the scene of the incident, the victim said that Beaudett had shoved her, hit her and knocked her over the back of the couch and had her on the ground squeezing her neck until she couldn’t breathe.

The officer observed bruising on her throat as well as scratches on the back of her neck, which appeared to have been caused by fingernails digging into her flesh.

The victim said a similar incident had occurred the day before. She also said the couple’s child witnessed both incidents.

In Count 2 of the plea deal, Beaudett admitted he had impeded the breathing of the victim by applying pressure to her throat and neck during an altercation in the presence of the victim’s minor child.

Beaudett blanched at the recital of events on the first menacing charge that included backing the victim against a door and punching the door near her face numerous times while not allowing her to get away.

“Not guilty,” he said in court. “That doesn’t sound right at all.”

A surprised Powers told Beaudett to stop speaking and asked Dall to confer with his client.

“It sounds like we may need to withdraw pleas here, even though we just got a specific factual admission and a guilty plea to count one (the strangulation), which creates an interesting issue for trial of the case if we go to trial,” the judge said.

Dall offered to talk to the defendant and wondered aloud if that would affect the second menacing charge. Discussion ensued and Frolander, offered to let Beaudett substitute another count.

“Let me ask you this Mr. Beaudett,” Powers said. “If the allegation was that you intentionally placed your domestic partner in imminent fear of serious physical injury, and you did so intentionally, that you did so by attempting to strangle her, would you admit to that?”

No,” the defendant said. “I admit to strangulation, but I don’t admit to putting her in fear of her life.”

Powers told Dall to confer with his client again. Dall returned with his client after Powers heard another case. He said his client was prepared to plead guilty to the strangulation as well as two counts of menacing.

Before sentencing, Dall said his client wasn’t trying to escape responsibility for his actions when he refused to plead guilty to one of the eight charges against him. Dall added that his client said there was another side to the story, and he didn’t agree with all of the report details.

He also said the couple had a long combative history, and his client suffered some diagnosed mental disorders. He also requested the no-contact order be dropped.

Powers followed Frolander’s sentencing recommendations and slapped Beaudett with 30 days in jail, 20 days of work crew, 36 months of supervised probation, enrollment in a battering intervention program for a minimum of 52 weeks as well as no contact with the child or victim until approval by a parole officer.

Beaudett may also apply to have the felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor upon successful completion of the sentence. Powers also mandated a $2,000 fine with $1,500 suspended.