HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Hutchinson woman who entered a guilty plea to aggravated battery in a Hutchinson murder case was sentenced to three years in prison Friday morning in Reno County District Court.
Delshay Vinsonhaler had waived her right to a preliminary hearing by pleading guilty in late January to the single count of aggravated battery in connection with the death of 29-year-old Lora Beth Stratton.
During the hearing, the defense counsel for Vinsonhaler asked that the defendant be given some ley way owning to her testimony against co-defendant Issac Ervin during his preliminary hearing. The defense also stated that Vinsonhaler's actions were under duress and threat from Ervin.
Still, Judge Tim Chambers noted that the actions resulted in the death of Stratton and while Vinsonhaler has little criminal history, she did have two previous charges of aggravated battery. With that, Chambers ordered the sentence served.
Stratton was found unconscious in an alley on Aug. 24. She died at a Wichita hospital. Visonhaler agreed to the plea deal in exchange for a charge of first-degree murder being dropped.