Veteran takes plea deal in assault of social worker
Jun. 29—An Iraq War veteran accused of punching a social worker in the face four years ago in Joplin took a plea offer Monday, granting him a suspended sentence and probation.
Matthew J. Hutson, 36, of Galena, Missouri, pleaded guilty in Jasper County Circuit Court to a misdemeanor count of assault and was sentenced to one year in jail with execution of the sentence suspended and the defendant placed on supervised probation for two years.
Hutson had been facing a felony count of first-degree assault for the attack on clinical social worker Ruth West at Mercy Behavioral Health Clinic on West 32nd Street.
West, who suffered a fracture of her orbital socket in the attack, testified at a preliminary hearing in 2017 that she was interviewing Hutson to arrange a transfer to Veterans Affairs hospital when he suddenly assaulted her.
Hutson was being seen at the clinic for mental health issues arising from post-traumatic stress disorder he was experiencing since his discharge after more than 12 years of military service.
She said that he had been at the clinic for a few days and appeared to her to be "in a trance" at the time. He was sitting in a chair as she spoke with him about his mental health history when he unexpectedly dropped down to his hands and knees and launched himself at her from across the room, punching her in the face.
Judge Dean Dankelson accepted the plea agreement reached with the prosecutor's office and assessed Hutson the agreed-upon sentence.
