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WILKES-BARRE — A Kingston man blamed his intoxication several times but said his addiction to alcohol was not an excuse for beating a defenseless man to near death in April 2022.
Kevin Eugene Perry, 52, last known address as South Welles Street, said he was “deeply sorry” for assaulting James Jones for simply walking too close to him in the area of Wyoming Avenue and Market Street, Kingston, on April 20.
Jones, age unknown, suffered severe head injuries in the attack and was in a medically induced coma due to brain swelling, “for an extended period of time,” Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Drew McLaughlin said during Perry’s sentencing hearing before President Judge Michael T. Vough.
Vough told Perry he was lucky Jones survived or he would had been facing a criminal homicide charge.
Perry was sentenced to five-to-10 years in state prison on an aggravated assault charge. He pled guilty to the charge Feb. 10.
Perry said he was “extremely intoxicated” but quickly noted his intoxication was not an excuse for what he did. He said he takes full responsibility and never had harmed anyone in his life.
Kingston police in court records say Jones was nearly unrecognizable and his face was deformed when he was found critically injured.
Court records say surveillance cameras captured Perry and Jones on a sidewalk when Perry suddenly punched Jones who fell to the ground in an unconscious state. Perry continued to punch an unconscious Jones including stomping on Jones with his foot, court records say.
During an interview with police, court records say, Perry smiled and gave a laugh when he admitted he “knocked him down” and walked away.
Perry was given credit for 342 days time served at the county correctional facility since his arrest.