Last Updated on May 20, 2023 by Office of Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer
LOGANSPORT – Noah Schafer, the Cass County Prosecuting Attorney, announced that Curtis L. Baker, of Logansport, was convicted on May 16, 2023 of the felony offenses of Domestic Battery and Strangulation. The charges arose out of an encounter with the victim in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 28, 2022.
The jury convicted the defendant on both counts after hearing testimony, along with seeing photographic evidence, of how the defendant repeatedly battered the victim by punching her in the face and strangling her twice. The second act of strangulation, which was done while the defendant was pinning the victim to the ground, caused the victim to begin losing consciousness and mobility of her arms. The jury also heard evidence detailing how the defendant drove recklessly and at high rates of speed after the victim when she fled the scene in her own vehicle. Ultimately, the defendant confronted the victim again outside her house, threatening to burn her house down before driving away.
Following the verdict, the defendant admitted to having a prior conviction for Domestic Battery, elevating his Domestic Battery conviction from the jury trial to a felony. Additionally, the defendant also admitted to his status as a Habitual Offender for three prior felonies including criminal confinement and two felony drunk driving convictions. Judge James Muehlhausen has scheduled the matter for sentencing on June 8, 2023. The case was tried by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Jake Vent and Jimmy Hildebrand, and was investigated by Logansport Police Department Officer Cody Koedam. The defendant faces a sentence ranging from 2.5-8.5 years.
Schafer said of the case, “We’re very grateful to Officer Koedam for his work and so proud of the victim for standing up for herself and ending the cycle of control this abuser had over her. If we support domestic violence survivors like her we can stand up to abusers and tell them enough is enough.”
SOURCE: News release from Office of Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer