The trial for a Juneau man on charges of attempted murder and assault, for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend in the head and back, has been postponed to July.
Brent M. Sanders, 26, was on a “fast track” to trial with jury selection scheduled to start in late April. But at a pre-trial hearing, the trial date was postponed after a plea agreement offer was made by District Attorney James Scott. The details of the agreement were not made public.
Sanders was uncommunicative during the hearing, both with his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Eric Hedland, and with Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg. Scott noted that Sanders is facing 15 to 99 years in prison on the charges, and he said the offer will remain open until July 5. A trial call was scheduled for July 10 and the trial was set to start July 17.
Sanders has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted murder in the first degree and three counts of assault in the first degree.
Prosecutors accused him of stabbing his girlfriend multiple times on Jan. 31, leaving the 37-year-old woman with a knife stuck in her left temple.
Several witnesses told police they saw Sanders attack the woman and initially thought he was punching her, until she yelled that she had been stabbed, charging documents state. They saw the knife sticking out of her head and the blood from her numerous stab wounds, the criminal complaint read.
The victim’s sister told police she tried to jump on Sanders to stop the attack and that he punched her with his fist, breaking her jaw, according to the complaint.
Earlier in the courtroom, DA Scott said Sanders repeatedly stabbed the woman in the upper back and then in the head. The position of the knife was potentially life-threatening and the decision was made to remove it surgically, which is why the woman was flown to Anchorage, he added. She has since been discharged, Scott said.
Scott previously called Sanders a “profound threat” to the community, citing a significant criminal history that includes multiple convictions for fighting, assault and theft. He noted Sanders was convicted in 2015 of two felony counts of assault for which he is still on probation and parole, as well as six misdemeanor counts of assault.
Sanders is being held in custody at Lemon Creek Correctional Center in lieu of $100,000 bail.
• Contact reporter Liz Kellar at 523-2246 or liz.kellar@juneauempire.com.
