Man gets 4 years in McHenry Co. beating

A Bull Valley man was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday after he pleaded guilty to severely beating his girlfriend over three days in 2009.

Jeffrey E. Mikell, 37, pleaded guilty to an aggravated domestic battery charge stemming from an Oct. 15 incident at Mikell's home in which authorities say Mikell beat his 29-year-old girlfriend, breaking her nose and bruising both her eyes.

On Thursday, Mikell expressed remorse for his actions but said his drug addiction has influenced his behavior.

"My actions are affecting other people. I see that now," Mikell said before McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather handed down her sentence. "I don't remember doing it, but I'm sure it happened," he said, adding that he blacked out during the incident.

In arguing for the minimum sentence of three years, Assistant Public Defender Jason Majer said Mikell has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has struggled to get clean.

"He's here to take responsibility for his actions," Majer said.

Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Blackney, however, argued for the maximum of seven years. The prosecutor acknowledged Mikell's health issues but emphasized that the choices he made were his own.

Prather said Mikell's struggles were a factor in her decision: "The defendant does in fact suffer from serious mental health issues and addictions. The court has considered that."

Probation was not an option; it was taken off the table as part of Mikell's plea agreement. Two aggravated kidnapping charges were dropped as part of the plea deal because of evidentiary issues.

Mikell will get credit for the nine months he has already served in jail. Prather also recommended that he be enrolled in a substance abuse program while in jail.