A jury found Harold Sanders, now 34, guilty of third-degree assault and resisting arrest after an incident involving a police officer in September 2020.
The jury had to reach a unanimous verdict. They could have found Sanders guilty of first-degree attempted manslaughter or second-degree assault. The jury ultimately agreed there was not enough evidence to prove Sanders guilty of those charges, leading to the third-degree assault charge.
The jury also found Sanders not guilty of disorderly conduct in the same incident.
Following a 3-day trial, the jury deliberated for roughly 2 hours Thursday evening before announcing their decision at approximately 6:30 p.m.
The jury recommended Sanders receive the following sentencing as a result of the charges:
- Third-degree assault – 5 years
- Resisting arrest – 12 months
- Persistent felony offender in the first degree – 20 years
Sanders’ final sentencing — which will be officially handed out by Judge Lisa Jones, who will either enforce the recommendation or can issue her own sentence — will take place at a later date.
Sanders was initially charged in 2020 with attempted murder after police alleged he stabbed Owensboro Police Department Officer Austin Esther in the face.
The incident occurred on September 20 in the 700 block of Walnut Street. According to reports, OPD responded to a disturbance call made by Sanders’ mother and uncle, who claimed Sanders was causing a scene by throwing items in the front yard of their home.
During Sanders’ arraignment in 2020, an officer representing OPD told the judge that Sanders was already in custody by the time he arrived at the scene that day.
Reportedly, two officers attempted to arrest Sanders, telling him he had a warrant out for his arrest. According to the 2020 testimony, when one of the responding officers attempted to grab Sanders’ other hand, the officer fell over and felt something hit his cheek.
The officer representing OPD said his injured colleague sustained a large gash on the left side of his face that ran from his cheekbone to his neck. Though it wasn’t a life-threatening injury, the gash required several stitches and the officer was in the hospital for a number of hours before being released.
Sanders was additionally charged with second-degree disorderly conduct because he wasn’t supposed to be at the house where the arrest took place. He was also charged with resisting arrest and his outstanding warrant.
