February 8, 2012
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
By Sarah Hogsed Register News Writer
RICHMOND — A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail.
The officer who responded to the Jan. 24 incident testified Wednesday during a preliminary hearing in Madison District Court. Richmond police officer Sgt. Jeff Simmons said he received a call at 9:30 p.m. about a domestic violence assault occurring in the 100 block of Broaddus Avenue.
When he arrived, Simmons said he saw two men outside the house, sitting on the porch, and another man going inside the house. One of the men on the porch was holding a samurai sword.
The man, Andrew Connor, dropped the sword after Simmons told him to. He told the officer that Masters had attacked his daughter, and that’s why he and another relative were at the house, Simmons said. Stephanie Flinner lives in the home with Masters.
“They were hysterical,” Simmons said about Flinner and her family members.
Connor told the officer that Masters had “beaten up, pulled hair, choked (Flinner),” Simmons testified. She had been able to flee next door and call for help, after which she and her family members returned to the home.
When they returned, Masters reportedly grabbed Flinner by the hair and held the samurai sword to her throat, threatening to kill her by “cutting off her head,” Simmons said.
Masters, who was in the courtroom with his attorney, shook his head “no” repeatedly after the officer make this statement.
Connor told police that Masters then allegedly lunged toward him with the sword and cut holes in his shirt in two places. Connor reportedly wrested the sword away from him before police arrived, and Masters went back into the house and picked up a metal bat.
Simmons said he and another officer entered the house and found Masters sitting on a bed. He was belligerent and intoxicated, Simmons testified. He and the other officer had to physically subdue Masters to remove him from the house and take him into custody.
Public defender Brian Barker, who is representing Masters, asked the officer several questions about the incident. He asked if the officer remembered if Masters had any injuries, and Simmons said he did not. He also asked Simmons if the sword was sharp.
Simmons responded he did not test the blade of the sword, but said the tip was sharp. The sword was confiscated as evidence. The T-shirt Connor was wearing that had holes in it from the alleged attacked was not taken into evidence, but Simmons said photos were taken of the damage.
After the hearing, Judge Brandy Oliver Brown found probable cause and referred the case to the grand jury.
Barker requested a reduction in Masters’ bond. He is being held on a $10,000 cash bond, and he does not have cash or property, Barker said.
County Attorney Marc Robbins objected to a reduction, pointing out that Masters had a prior convictions for violent crime.
Brown agreed with Robbins and kept the bond at $10,000.
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