Assault of officer draws 6-year prison sentence

Jury earlier convicted local man of felonious assault and obstructing official business

Eric German sits in the Middletown Municipal Court for his arraignment on charges of assault on a police officer and other charges Thursday, July 22, 2010 in Middletown, Ohio. Staff photo by Nick Graham

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 9:47 AM Friday, January 28, 2011

HAMILTON — Eric German, 46, will spend the next six years in prison after being convicted of beating a Middletown police officer.

German, of Barnitz Street in Middletown, apologized to Officer Jason Deaton and his family and Middletown police prior to his sentencing Thursday in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” said German, who suffers from mental illness and neurological damage from a 1987 car accident. He had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Before handing down a sentence, Judge Keith Spaeth told German, “You have done something in this instance that an apology is just not good enough.”

German faced a possible 11 years in prison for beating Deaton following a traffic stop last summer. Deaton’s facial injuries were so severe, the officer required reconstructive surgery.

On Wednesday, a jury found German guilty of felonious assault on a police officer and obstructing official business.

On Thursday, Spaeth found him guilty of impersonating a peace officer or private police man and failure to stop for an accident.

German was acquitted of failure to comply with an order of a police officer.

German told the judge he “would like to get some kind of mental treatment” because when he was on medication before “it did make me feel better.”

German said he’s only been in a few fights before, though he did admit he once fought in a “meanest man” contest.

German said he stopped competing once he realized it was not a good pairing with his mental illness.

Deaton, a three-year veteran of the Middletown police force, stood before the judge and his assailant and said, “I wish Mr. German all the best. I hope he gets better. It was nothing personal. I was just doing my job.”

Spaeth praised Deaton for his bravery.

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