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∫ Zachariah Beardsley, 34, was sentenced to 30 days in jail for domestic violence.
∫ The victim in the case asked for leniency.
∫ He will serve an intermittent sentence, which will be over 15 weekends.
Source: Washington County Court of Common Pleas.
A Belpre man who pleaded guilty to domestic violence April 14 was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail and two years community control.
Zachariah Beardsley, 34, of 715 Barclay St. Lot 36 was sentenced on the third-degree felony, although the victim asked for leniency.
In her statement, the victim said the incident on Oct. 14 was the culmination of a lot of pain and she had undergone emotional and mental abuse.
While she read her statement, the victim was visibly shaking, although Beardsley never looked her way.
"I had become an emotional hostage," she said. "I became isolated from friends and family."
She said she was treated as though she had no value and the sacrifices she made were of no consequence.
She said the assault caused bruises and a scratch, but in the end, she forgave him.
"But at the end of all this, I forgive him. I forgive him because I stood by and I watched helplessly as he struggled with his own inner demons," the victim said."He does not pose a threat to me, nor does he pose a threat to the public."
There was an agreed disposition in the case between the state and Beardsley's defense attorney, Rolf Baumgartel.
Washington County Common Pleas Judge John Halliday said he was sentencing Beardsley to 35 days in jail with credit for five days already served.
"Now this is something that the court does very infrequently, but I'm going to allow you to serve your jail intermittently, every weekend, Friday at 6 p.m.," Halliday said.
He will be incarcerated from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Sunday for 15 consecutive weekends so he can still continue to work, Halliday said.
"You will also pay the Washington County Jail fee which is $50, but if it's different than that you'd pay whatever their fee is," the judge said. "Every Friday for the privilege of serving those weekends."
Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.